Mara Sugar’s head coach, Benedict Simiyu, has called on referees to raise their standards after his team suffered a frustrating defeat to Kakamega Homeboyz in Mumias on Saturday evening.
Following the 2-0 loss, Simiyu voiced his concerns over the officiating, which he believes negatively impacted his side’s chances of securing a better result.
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“Our referees should understand that teams are investing heavily in these games,” Simiyu remarked. “Let’s not approach a match already knowing how it will end. What kind of penalty was that he awarded our opponents? We had a clear penalty on our side, but it was not given. Referees need to step up their game. If there are issues with them, they should be addressed because this is destroying our football. It’s destroying the beautiful game.”
The coach expressed his frustration, noting that the result of the match seemed to be decided even before the game began.
“We train hard, and then we come for a match, only to find it already decided. It’s disheartening, and it lowers my morale as a coach for the next training session,” Simiyu said. “Going into the next matches we hope our referees will step up. We’re spending a lot of money to participate in these games. They shouldn’t come to officiate matches with fixed results.”
The match itself saw Kakamega Homeboyz take an early lead in the 5th minute after a penalty was awarded when Ben Stanley Omondi was brought down in the box by Mara Sugar’s Mulama. Referee Isaac Khamisi judged it a foul, and Moses Shumah converted the penalty, marking his eighth goal of the season.
Despite Mara Sugar’s efforts to equalize, Kakamega Homeboyz extended their lead in the 24th minute. Captain Estone Esiye scored a thunderous strike from the edge of the 18-yard box, his first goal of the season, following a deflected shot by Moses Shumah.
Mara Sugar pushed hard for a goal but was met by a solid defensive display from the hosts, with goalkeeper Simon Masaka keeping a clean sheet for the third consecutive match. In the end, Kakamega Homeboyz walked away with all three points, leaving Mara Sugar disappointed by both the result and the officiating.
Simiyu’s comments underline the need for consistent and unbiased refereeing, which he believes will enhance the quality of the game and restore confidence among teams, players, and coaches alike.
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