AmaZulu coach Romain Folz has had enough of the bad refereeing in the league as a whole, and once again questioned the match officials.
Folz argue that referees are stealing the limelight and in every post-match interview he has to address the issue of match officials rather than talking about the game itself.
The former Marumo Gallants coach was not pleased with the handling of Siyabulela Qunta, saying that both goals scored by Tornado FC in their Nedbank Cup last-32 match at King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday should not have stood, as those goals almost provided the sting in the tail later.
It was all easy for Usuthu in the first half, scoring two goals through Mbongeni Gumede and Gabadinho Mhango.
Big striker Bongi Ntuli added a third after the hour mark before Folz withdrew his key players, but that gave Tornado impetus to fight back, scoring two goals via Mario Katz and Kennet Dupane in quick succession before the 80th minute, setting up a nervy few minutes for Usuthu.
After the match, Folz questioned both goals, arguing that Jody February was pushed in the back for the first and the second was offside which the media agreed to, inciting him more to speak openly about referees.
“I would like [to ask] someone who was in the stands because I didn’t see the replay, is it offside the second goal,” asked Folz after the game.
“Anyone, please? Anyone show me a lot of courage, yes or no? The first [Tornado] goal, our goalkeeper was pushed and at least one of the two goals was invalid. Don’t you feel like we are having this chat after every game? It is the same chat in every game.
“I always say the same thing and people tend to think we say that because whether we draw or we lose, whatever. It was bad, it was bad.
“Do you know how many free-kicks they had in the second half? 17. Do you know how many we had? Four. I would like someone to tell me what is happening and I’m going to leave it like that.
“I hope for our next games, league and cup, I hope the game is a topical discussion after the game.”
Referees became the hot top of discussion this weekend, with Pretoria Callies coach Kwanele Kopo lambasting the referee when they lost 2-1 after extra-time to Golden Arrows in their Ke Yona Cup Last 32 loss, while Eric Tinkler also had a go at the officials following his side’s 4-3 penalty defeat to Royal AM.
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Folz also revisited his side’s loss to Royal AM last month when Motebang Sera’s strike came off the crossbar but referee Christopher Kistoor overruled his second assistant who awarded a goal, saying he almost told his team to walk off.
“If you remember the Royal AM game we played a month ago. When they scored the goal that was disallowed when it hit the crossbar, I had to threaten the fourth official to take my players outside of the pitch and stop the game for him to tell me it was not a goal,” he added.
