FMB Under-20 National League finalists, Mtopwa Super Boys, risk disciplinary action over their bad behaviour during the league’s final on Saturday in Mzuzu.
Mtopwa lost 1-0 to Silver Strikers Youth at Mzuzu Stadium, thanks to Dan Pindani’s first-half strike.
During the game, the Blantyre-based side manhandled referee, Mavuto Msimuko and his assistants, after they disallowed a goal, forcing the officiating panel to walk off the pitch.
The match was stopped for 15 minutes as Mtopwa owner, Isaac ‘Jomo’ Osman, his players and their supporters confronted the referee while threatening to shun the game.
National Youth Football Association General Secretary, Thokozani Chimbali, said Mtopwa’s behaviour was embarrassing as it happened in front of the sponsor, FMB and Minister of Manpower Development, Youth, Labour and Sports, Henry Mussa.
Chimbali said while the association was waiting for the referee’s report, it was very unfortunate that Mtopwa manhandled the referees.
“As NYFA, we are very disappointed with what Mtopwa did. We need to guide these young players, so if we are in the forefront misbehaving, then we are destroying their future,” Chimbali said.
“As NYFA, we want to curb bad behaviour and we will not tolerate wrong doing in our league.”
Mtopwa Coach Enos Chatama has since apologised to NYFA for the behaviour of his team.
“The incident happened due to high tempers, as we were trying to get an equalising goal. I know that this is not sportsmanship. I talked to my boys that this should never happen again,”Chatama said.
To make matters worse, Osman barred his players from receiving medals at the VIP with only Chatama receive them on behalf of the team.
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