Football Hooliganism: Dynamos Fans Throw Missiles, Injure Referee

The hooligans then threw missiles at the officials as they made their way to the dressing room and injured one of the assistant referees, Edgar Rumeki, who suffered a deep cut on the arm.

They also threw objects at Herentals’ substitute goalkeeper Nevermind Antonio in the 72nd minute.

Antonio was shown a red card after remonstrating against the officials and he may face further sanctions from the Premier Soccer League (PSL) after he chose to go to the changing room via the pitch.

He also allegedly insulted a section of the Dynamos fans, who responded by throwing missiles, forcing play to be stopped for almost seven minutes.

DeMbare coach Herbert Maruwa bemoaned what he considered time-wasting by Herentals, saying it was killing local football. He said:

It (time-wasting) is killing our football. But the good thing is that we play 34 games and this one is over.

Herentals coach Kumbirai Mutiwekuziwa was not impressed by Maruwa’s remarks and accused the Dynamos gaffer of being a bad loser. He said:

I have heard him talk about that several times when he loses points. If they are good, why can’t they win within those minutes?

We went to Chicken Inn, we lost and they withdrew ball boys, but we didn’t complain to the media. Let us not mix issues here.

The issue of poor officiating has been topical in recent weeks, with FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza threatening to quit football.

Speaking after a 1-0 loss to Herentals in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League at the National Sports Stadium on 01 May 2023, Mapeza said:

I love soccer so much. I want to see these kids develop as footballers but these things are going to force me to quit football. Why am I here?

I would rather go and rest. Someone can get hacked two, or three times in front of you, you leave it.

Let’s be honest, we are going nowhere (with our football).

Let’s help each other here, while we do our work, you (journalists) also have a role to play.

Let’s be truthful, is this what we are looking for in our football?

Let’s be honest, where are we going? We lost, it’s a game of football and I accept.

The emotions were too high, I had to say guys look, the match is almost over just continue.

I even asked the fourth official how many minutes have been added and he said he had not been signalled.

Signalled by who when the 45 minutes in the second half had already been played?

In May last year, Dynamos was fined US$4 000 while their team manager Richard Chihoro was slapped with a US$2 000 fine for disturbances that occurred when DeMbare played Bulawayo Chiefs in a PSL match at Barbourfields Stadium in March.

More: Pindula News