FKF President defends referee Omweno over DRC Congo controversial officiating

Over the weekend Harambee Stars entertained DRC Congo in an international friendly match that was played at Kenyatta in Machakos County.

However, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa have defended the referee of the match, Davies Omweno terming the complaint as unwanted.

Mwendwa who was among the spectators of the game says that only goal line technology (which is yet to be adopted here) would have settled the argument.

Kenya claimed a 2 – 1 win in the game, making the team’s tenth match unbeaten but the match had its fair share of controversies as the Congolese claimed to have been denied two goals.

The first incident was when Kenya defender Aboud Omar cleared Junior Kabanaga’s attempt on the line.

“I don’t see why we should castigate the referee; if anything, we should judge the referee for the entire 90 minutes he is in charge but narrowing down on the two controversial incidents, I don’t think we are being sincere by blasting him,” said Mwendwa.

For the second one, it was a clear foul on Monday after the corner. We can’t argue on that – a player was fouled and the referee had to make the call,” he said.While a cross section of fans feel Omweno, being a Kenyan, should not have been handed the game, Mwendwa feels otherwise, with the match officials cleared by CAF, and terms the move a way of granting Kenyan officials the chance to enhance their experience.

Away from the refereeing and controversies, the FKF head heaped praise on head coach Stanley Okumbi, who last tasted defeat with the team in March 2016 and is currently on a 10 – match unbeaten run.“I am happy for Okumbi; he has shown why we need to put trust in our local coaches. He is doing a good job and we are not breaking the bank to pay him,” said Mwendwa.

Three more outings without defeat will see Okumbi set a new unbeaten record with the current one of 12, being held by Ray Wood a former Manchester United player, who managed the national team between 1975 and 1976.⁠⁠⁠⁠