WATCH: Video footage shows tunnel fight between Maritzburg United and City camps
McCarthy says he doesn't know why a fight broke out, while Tinkler blames the referee for 'losing control' of the game.
Cape Town City coach Benni McCarthy intervenes during a player scuffle during the Absa Premiership 2018/19 game between Cape Town City and Maritzburg United at Athlone Stadium. (Luigi Bennett/BackpagePix)
Sports presenter Thomas Mlambo shared video footage showing a fight that broke out between Maritzburg United and Cape Town City players following their match on Saturday.
Benni McCarthy’s side beat Maritzburg 3-2.
READ: REVEALED: What sparked tunnel fight between Maritzburg and City
The first footage that was shared shows McCarthy pushing Maritzburg’s assistant coach in a scuffle that quickly died down after an intervention.
What was happening here? #BlowByBlow pic.twitter.com/N98inFaEpl
— the_admiral (@Ofentse_Ratsie) February 26, 2019
In another footage, both camps ran to the tunnel after another scuffle broke out.
Watch carefully as down the tunnel @MaritzburgUtd vs @CapeTownCityFC over the weekend the benches go to war down the tunnel one official even gets grabbed by the neck during the battle pic.twitter.com/ss2gZ4LZHK
— Thomas Mlambo (@thomasmlambo) February 26, 2019
Speaking to the Sowetan, McCarthy said: “When I looked it was Matthew [Rusike]‚ our bench … because their players were coming. I genuinely don’t know what was the cause‚ if someone didn’t give the ball or kicked the ball away. Then [Rushine] De Reuck pushed my coach Rayaan and that’s when … obviously the players are getting involved then. But I am just defusing‚ this time I was not in the middle.”
However, Maritzburg coach Eric Tnkler blamed the referee for apparently losing control of the game, leading to the fight.
“The ball goes out for a throw-in and our player [De Reuck] goes to fetch the ball. The City player‚ [Matthew] Rusike‚ throws the ball away and it is only normal‚ out of frustration‚ that he is going to push the guy. It’s only normal. What does it lead to? My player getting a second yellow card and sent-off. Did Rusike get a card? No. Then you’ve got the analyst [Jacobs] also coming and tripping and pulling my player over. What is he doing there?
“I was disappointed with what happened there with the officiating. He [Qongqo] lost control of the game.”
Though soccer fans blamed the fight on both teams, most slammed McCarthy, bringing up his past temper outbursts when things don’t go his way.
These were some of the comments on the incident:
Fight between Maritzburg United and Cape Town City
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