The ill-discipline of players in the Alex Arsenal City FC squad came to the fore when two of its players exchanged blows on the pitch soon after the referee blew his whistle for half-time in their game with Amajananda FC on April 1.
This was during their game of the Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association Promotional League played at the Totalsports Alex SafeHub with Amajananda leading 3–1 in what was a tensely contested first half of the match that kept both coaches on their feet and on the touchline and shouting numerous instructions.
Hell broke loose as the team prepared to have its half-time prep talk and suddenly the two teammates, Baqwana Zuko and Bafikile Mbundu had a go at each other with fistfights as the technical staff and other teammates tried, but failed to contain the two players.
The referee rushed to the scene and red-carded both players and asked them to leave the pitch and one of them was overheard saying he was going to fetch his township friends.
As one of the players had left with a threat to mobilise a mob, the referee decided, for the safety of all in the game, to call off the tie.
Asked what happens then, he told Alex News he was obviously going to write a match report that would be handed to the Alex Northrand LFA as the administrators of the league and a decision would be taken as to what happens next.
Amajananda, who are returnees to the Alex Northrand LFA Promotional League following its relegation from the Johannesburg Men’s Regional League after spending just one season, was the first to register their name on the scoreboard through the boot of Nkululeko Ntshangase.
This was as early as the 14th minute of the game but Arsenal was quick to cancel out that lead through Mbundu, one of the players involved in the fight.
Amajananda’s Sipho Ndlovu restored his side’s lead while Gabriel ‘Beast’ Madu added the third goal and the teams went into the half-time break with Amajananda leading 3–1, and the match was then abandoned.
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