Referee Nasser Muhammad At Fault As Vipers Escape Maroons Arrest

Friday, November 22
*Maroons 1-1 Vipers

Maroons were wrongfully denied a genuine penalty before conceding a debatable one in a 1-1 draw with leaders Vipers at Luzira.

Fahad Bayo snatched a point for the leaders Vipers from the spot after Fred Amaku had given Maroons a deserved lead in a rescheduled league game played on Friday.

Maroons will feel hard done by the day’s officiating from Centre Referee Nasser Muhammad and his assistants Okello Lee and Mathias Omunyira.

At 0-0, Referee Muhammed waived play on when Rahmat Ssenfuka clearly slashed Maroons’ Abraham Tusubira in the forbidden area, a decision that left Douglas Bamweyana fuming on the touchline.

Goalkeeper Fabien Mutombora had spilled Tusubira’s header and the latter was denied a chance for the rebound at close range by Ssenfuka.

Fred Amaku gave Maroons at stroke of halftime when he bundled home after Geoffrey Wasswa had failed to clear far away from danger.

The Venoms later leveled matters in the second half, with Bayo scoring from the spot after Timothy Bamulanzeki was judged to have blocked Paul Willa’s cross with his hand.

However, the penalty could not have stood after TV replays showed that the ball had ricocheted off Bamulanzeki’s chest before hitting his hand.

Frank Zaga and Maroons’ Olega Caesar in action at Luzira. Sanyuka TV

What does the new law say?

According to the new IFAB laws, players are allowed extra leeway when it comes to ricocheted handballs.

It is often impossible to avoid contact with the ball if it has deflected off the body of an opponent, team-mate, or even another part of the own player.

So a handball is not awarded if the ball touches a player’s hand/arm directly from their own head/body/foot or the head/body/foot of another player who is close/nearby.

In an eventful affair, Maroons also had claims when Senfuka tripped Felix Okot, but referee ignored amidst frustration from the fans.

Notably, Ssenfuka had looked guilty and frozen after the incident before regaining his consciousness few seconds later.

The hosts missed opportunities from Amaku who broke free after beating Wasswa but his resultant effort was easily collected by the Burundian custodian.

Mutombora also denied Obuya from long range while Vipers’ Willa fired inches wide after a neat low assist by Allan Kayiwa at the other end.

The Venoms end first round on top with 34 points while Maroons are temporarily seventh with 20 points.

Teams Used

Maroons – Hannington Ssebwalunyo, Caesar Olega, Timothy Bamulanzeki, Martin Mpuga, Edward Kabona, Felix Okot, Davis Mayanja, Abraham Tusubira, Pius Obuya, Solomon Walusimbi, Fred Amaku.

Vipers – Fabien Mutombora, Paul Willa, Aziz Kayondo, Bashir Asiku, Geoffrey Wasswa, Rahmat Ssenfuka, Ashraf Mugume, Frank Zaga Tumwesigye, Abram Ndugwa, Allan Kayiwa, Fahad Bayo

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