Thina Ladies advance to Heritage Tournament semis
Loyo Stars Ladies coach Raymond Khuzwayo storms onto the pitch to refute the whistle man's decision to offer Thina a free kick from their foul throw.
Thina Seven Stars Ladies advanced to the semifinals of an ill-tempered match of the Respect and Ubuntu Heritage Tournament after beating a goal-shy Loyo Stars Ladies 3-1 at the Altrek Sports Complex on September 15.
All the goals in the match came in the second half as the teams were deadlocked 0-0 after 45 minutes of play in the quarter-finals of a tournament sponsored by Alex businessman George Moyo’s industrial workwear brand Shosholoza and legal firm Maluleke and Msimang Associates.
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The game in which the first half was a dull affair with neither side showing any hunger to win the match, was nearly abandoned in just 10 minutes of play in the second stanza when Loyo coach Raymond Khuzwayo stormed onto the pitch to admonish the referee for awarding a free kick from a foul throw by Thina.
Khuzwayo would not allow the free kick to be taken, insisting if there was a foul throw, then it must be awarded to his side as a throw-in as well. “I don’t understand why a foul throw by the opposition can then be converted into a free kick still for the opposition,” he charged.
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In the heated exchanges, the referee then decided to abandon the game and walked off the pitch. He told Alex News he was walking away to avert possible physical violence from both coaches on either side as they interfered too much.
“Whatever decision I make, if it’s not in their favour, both coaches hurl insults at me and this is not good as we might end up involved in physical violence. I am walking away from the game because I want to avoid a physical confrontation,” the referee said.
When a referee from the bench of Loyo Ladies took over, a member of Thina technical staff was heard questioning ‘Where has the new referee come from?’, but they allowed the game to continue.
Thina was already leading 1-0 from the boot of Katlego Kanono but soon after the resumption of the game with the new referee, Slanders Bronwyn scored her first goal after dribbling past the advancing keeper and netting the ball into an empty net.
Kanono sealed the game for Thina Ladies with another goal to mark her brace while Loyo only managed a consolation goal in the dying minutes of the game from the boot of Lesego Seloane.
Thina coach Khensani Seboyane said she was delighted to have advanced to the semis although there was still some work to be done in the final. “We are not yet over the finish line but qualification for the semis also excites us,” she said.
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