Furious Da Gama slams assistant referee after Pirates loss

Pirates marksman Tshegofatso Mabasa is the one who found the back of the netting, bagging his fifth league goal of the season. However, the goal was not supposed to stand as it was a clear offside that was missed by the assistant referee on the far side of the pitch.

READ: Mabasa hands Pirates maximum points 

After seeing the replay of the goal, Highlands coach Owen Da Gama was furious and suggested that the referee should be sent to jail for costing them all three points against the Buccaneers.

“The whole world saw it, it was three metres offside. Let’s not take anything away from Pirates, I think they played well. The linesman on the near side and the referee did a good job. But that linesman on the far end… I think should go to jail,” said Da Gama.

“You cannot do that at this level. People’s lives are at stake here, players are working for their families and they work hard all week for somebody to do something like this. If it is a 50-50 then you can understand, but a 3 metre like that… it is shameful for the football in our country and something has to be done about that,” he added.

Da Gama also alluded that Lindokuhle Mbatha had to take an injection during the interval, supposedly to help him recover following a nasty tackle early in the game. Mabasa was the one who tackled Mbatha and Da Gama believes the Buccaneers’ goal-getter should have went for an early shower in the first half.

“I think it should have been a red card. Mbatha never recovered from that and I don’t know if he will be able to play anymore after a two-footed tackle like that. I told him (Mabasa) that he can’t play like that. He can’t tackle people with two-footed tackles because you could end someone’s career. He said the player jumped and I said to him had he not jumped he could have broken his leg,” said Da Gama.

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