- LOC awaiting match report
- Rollers not ruling out protest
LETLHOGILE MPUANG
Botswana Premier League Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Thabo Ntshinogang has not ruled out disciplinary action following the dramatic scenes that took place at the Gaborone United versus Township Rollers game over the weekend.
After the referee blew the final whistle, in a game that ended 3-3 on aggregate, drama took centre stage as Rollers players and supporters’ celebrations were cut short by the announcement that the game will proceed to a penalty shootout. Rollers players and officials did not take the announcement quite well as they told the match officials that they will not be part of the shootout. Rollers protested that they had won the game courtesy of the away goal rule.
The Mascom Top 8 Local Organizing Committee (LOC) were forced to come onto the field of play and clear the situation which lasted for more than 30 minutes. LOC Chairman Moreo Modisenyane explained that according to the rules of the tournament, the away goal rule does not apply in extra time.
Despite the clarity, Rollers Welfare Manager Motshegetsi Mafa still insisted to his players that they should not take part in the shootout. It was after a very heated and long argument between Rollers officials that saw the players go on to take part in the shootout. After the shootout, drama then turned to the stands, Rollers fans threw objects onto the field and towards the match officials.
Ntshinogang said they were yet to receive a report from the game, which will then be sent to the prosecutor. “At this point there is nothing really to say as we are still awaiting all the reports from the game. After we have gone through the reports and we feel that there is need for a disciplinary case, we will then prepare a case to the league prosecutor,” Ntshinogang told Gazette Sport.
“About supporters throwing objects into the field, we are not aware of it, but we believe it will be mentioned in the security report, if indeed it happened.”
Furthermore Rollers Chairman Jagdish Shah said his side could have avoided all the drama had they won the game within 90 minutes.
“We failed! We should have won the game fair and square in the field of play. This was all avoidable had we won the game inside 90 minutes. GU played better and they deserved to win the game,”said Shah.
Asked if his side still feels aggrieved he said “We have not met as the management, we will be meeting soon and we will hear if we have a case or not,” he concluded.