Atletico Lusaka head coach Brian Kunsanama expressed his disappointment following the appointment of a Zambia National Service (ZNS) serving match official for their crucial final game of the season against Zesco United on Saturday.
The match ended in a 3-2 defeat for Atletico Lusaka, a result that confirmed their relegation from the league.
Kunsanama did not mince his words, labeling the decision to have Maimba Katiti as the centre referee, embarrassing.
His fury stems from the fact that Green Eagles, a team directly sponsored by the ZNS, were also battling to avoid relegation on the final day of the MTN Super League season.
Speaking after the match, Kunsanama did not hold back his criticism of the officiating and the appointment itself.
“Whoever assigned a ZNS official to officiate our game has killed football. You saw the dubious penalty, you saw the decisions he was making out there,” he stated.
The Atletico Lusaka coach further questioned the logic and fairness of such an appointment, drawing a stark comparison with international officiating standards.
“Where on earth have you seen a Zambian referee go to offset a Zambia versus Egypt game?” he demanded.
He implied that the referee’s loyalty had an impact on his actions.
“He is a uniformed guy, ZNS, his team is fighting relegation. They’re giving him praises right now. I don’t know his rank but he’s being promoted,” Kunsanama alleged.
The Atletico Lusaka coach concluded by reiterating his condemnation of the appointment, stating, “Whoever appointed this guy to come and officiate our game, it’s an embarrassment.“
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