The Ashanti Regional Referees’ Instructor, Eric Owusu Mensah, says some of the key decisions by the referee in the Kotoko-Karela game, played at Obuasi, were wrong.

Speaking on Nhyira Power Sports in Kumasi, “Kala”, as he is popularly known, said the referee should have sided with his assistant referee and disallowed the Karela equalizer.

He told host PJ Mozee that the last sequence of play before the ball got to Karela’s Richard Berko to score meant it was offside. A goal by Kotoko’s Evans Adomako was also disallowed.

Referee Owusu Mensah said, looking at where the Kotoko striker was positioned when Emmanuel Gyamfi played the ball; he was dismayed at the decision of the assistant referee to flag it for offside.

“Evans Adomako was behind the last Karela defender when Gyamfi played the ball, so he was clearly onside, and that goal by Kotoko should have stood,” he opined.

The last major decision by the referee in the game was the award of a penalty to Kotoko, which Fabio Gama scored to win the match for the porcupine warriors.

Referee Owusu Mensah emphasized the Karela goalkeeper fouled the Kotoko attacker, Evans Adomako, because Adomako was first to the loose ball.

Football loving fans have engaged in social media debate on some key decisions in the Kotoko-Karela game. 

In reference to the education on the rules and laws of the game, Referee Owusu Mensah admonished supporters of the various clubs to desist from hooliganism and abuse of match officials.

“There are technical teams that assess the performances of referees so fans should believe in the system to work and not attack match officials when their clubs lose,” he noted.