The National Football Referees Commission (CNAF) has decided to provisionally suspend for one month the refereeing team involved in the controversial match between Baía de Pemba FC and Ferroviário de Maputo. The match, which ended with a 1-0 victory for Baía de Pemba, generated a wave of protests and criticism from the defeated team, the "locomotives" of the Mozambican capital.
Arbitration Errors and Protests
The head referee, Paulo Afito from Nampula, along with assistants Momade Tembe and Macário Goveto, and fourth official Chabane Wilson, were the main targets of criticism from Ferroviário de Maputo. The team alleges that the referees' mistakes significantly hampered their performance in the game. Ferroviário de Maputo issued a formal statement of repudiation and protest to the Mozambican Football League, highlighting several irregularities in the refereeing.
Among the complaints, the most notable is the annulment of a goal scored by Amâncio “Neymar” Canhemba, which was disallowed for an alleged offside. Television images of the play, widely shared on social media, suggest that the goal was legitimate, fueling criticism of the refereeing.
Other Irregularities
In addition to the disallowed goal, Ferroviário de Maputo denounced what it considered to be unsportsmanlike conduct permitted by the referee, including repeated assaults on its players and intimidation of the coaching staff. Another point of contention was the prevented execution of a substitution in the third moment, as stipulated by the Mozambican Football Federation's regulations. The fourth official, Chabane Wissu, and the match delegate, Saha Saíde, acknowledged the error but asked the Ferroviário de Maputo representative not to report the incident.
CNAF reaction
Francisco Machel, President of the CNAF (National Commission for Football Referees), condemned the referees' actions and reaffirmed the commission's commitment to training elite referees and restoring the dignity of the profession. "We are training elite referees in our Mozambican context and we want to recover the image and dignity of the referee," stated Machel, emphasizing the importance of maintaining sporting integrity.
Approval of the Result
The result of the match has not yet been ratified by the Disciplinary Council of the Mozambican Football League, which continues to analyze the protest filed by Ferroviário de Maputo. The final decision on ratifying the result and possible additional sanctions is still pending, awaited with great anticipation by those involved and by Mozambican football fans.
This preventative suspension of the referees involved underscores the seriousness with which the CNAF is treating the incident, aiming to ensure fairness and transparency in the country's sporting competitions.
