BY FORTUNE MBELE HIGHLANDERS will take disciplinary action against their young defender Andrew Mbeba, who elbowed Dynamos striker Emmanuel Paga in an off-the-ball incident in the Independence Day Trophy final at Barbourfields Stadium on Monday.
Mbeba elbowed Paga in the face in the first half after the Ghanaian tussled for the ball with defender Peter Muduhwa and it went out for a goal-kick.
Referee Arnold Ncube and his assistants missed the incident.
A video of the incident went viral on social media.
Mbeba got away with it, but his coach Mandla Mpofu is not happy.
“I don’t condone that behaviour. It’s just unfortunate, but I think it is an internal matter. Mbeba will somehow be charged. It is internal, we will make sure that we address it and Mbeba will be charged,” the Bosso mentor said.
“Of course, it has gone public, but internally, we will make sure that we do something. We don’t condone that. It is unfair and unsporting behaviour. We don’t do that at Highlanders.
“At Highlanders, we play football and win. At Highlanders, we play football and lose fairly. I don’t think that is something that I can accept. Mbeba is a young man, we will make sure that we nurture him. He played very well, but those things make you a very bad player.”
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In the game, which was filled with tension, a number of incidents occurred which went unnoticed by the match officials, unfortunately Mbeba’s misdemeanour was captured on camera.
Shadreck Nyahwa of Dynamos was given his marching orders by Ncube three minutes before full-time for a high tackle on Bosso defender Mbongeni Ndlovu.
Another flash point between the two players before the dismissal went unnoticed.
Godknows Muriwra and Nyahwa, both Dynamos, and Bosso’s Andrew Tandi were shown yellow cards by Ncube, but the cautions don’t affect their participation in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.
Highlanders won the final 1-0.
- Follow Fortune on Twitter@FortuneMbele
