Referee Selorm Yao Bless
I'm utterly stunned, angry, and embarrassed by what I witnessed on my television while watching football on Sunday
"Poor officiating ruins the game for everyone-Sponsors and supporters keep away and reputations starting with the FA are tarnished sometimes beyond repair
“It's not which team You support but about the sport. Football is a big business and the FA has to timeously clean up this mess ”- said former Asante Kotoko chairman Herbert Mensah
Asante Kotoko vs Hearts of Oak clashed in what was an all-at-sake encounter for the team.
The away side, well, some of their supporters, feel this game could have been the last straw the broke the camel's back with regards to Coach Samuel Boadu spell at Hearts.
On the other hand, Asante Kotoko management would've had to vanish from the stadium had the team lost on Sunday.
Kotoko’s team has been under unimaginable pressure from some sections of its supporters and persons who from day one have shown that they want a regime change.
It was an opportunity for the team to send these critics back to their cage but it was not meant to be because of one man, Selom Yao Bless. A referee who carried out a spirited agenda, well calculated and executed with no regard to the integrity of the game and the emotions of the thousands of fans.
Kotoko started the game on the front foot, blowing away their opponent into pieces in all departments of the game, from minute 1 to 90. It was all Kotoko. However, whenever Kotoko looked to have taken the front seat, there was resistance, not from the Hearts players but the referee.
The first moment was when Denis Korsah ], a defender of Hearts of oak pushed Augustine Agyapong from the back in the 18-yard box
It was a clear and obvious penalty, however, Assistant line 2 Tijani Mohammed and the center referee Yao Bless saw none of that.
A Hearts of Oak defender should've been sent off in the 16th minute after tripping Isaac Oppong on two separate occasions.
As if that was enough, Oppong was shoved to the ground in the 18-yard box for an obvious penalty, referee Yao Bless soo close to the action, waved play on.
The final of the big calls came in the second half when Caleb Amankwa, defender of Hearts of oak brought Steven Mukwala down in the 18-yard box, yet again the officials saw none of that.
One thing was clear there were so many unfair plays, biased judgment, and flat-out ridiculous callings that I just can't take it anymore.
The disgraceful performance highlights the embarrassing officiating Ghana football has been subjected to after the biggest exposé dubbed number 12.
Samartex 1996 was robbed at Dormaa as they were denied an all-important win
For the love of football, can we please get rid of these referees?