Rachier blames match referee for Zambia fiasco
Under-fire Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier has asked the Confederation of African Football (Caf) to sanction the match referee who handled his team’s chaotic Confederation Cup play-off match away to Zambia’s Napsa Stars.
The club boss also denied reports his players attacked the match referee in that game.
The Kenyan champions settled for a two-all draw away to the pensioners in a temperamental clash at the Heroes Stadium in Lusaka on Sunday but lost 3-2 on aggregate to suffer a heartbreaking exit from this season’s Caf Confederation Cup.
The match in Lusaka was marred by late drama after the match referee Lebalang Mokete awarded a last-gasp penalty to the hosts who converted via former Southampton forward Emmanuel Mayuka.
There was commotion at full-time and speaking to local media, Rachier appeared certain where the blame should be directed at.
“Gor Mahia players (in the stadium) were only 22. The number of Napsa fans who invaded the pitch after the final whitsle was higher than my players. No one can say that 22 players had the capacity to cause chaos,” he said.
“We know the referee’s decision is final but we are disappointed. We are waiting for the match commisioner’s report and expect him to sanction Napsa Stars over pitch invasion and also the referee for mishandling the match. The injury-time duration was illegal and intended to assist Napsa to get a win.”
Rachier spoke as former Harambee Stars defender Musa Otieno criticized Gor Mahia players for appearing to attack the referee after the final whitsle.