Holders Zambia frustrated by 10-man Ethiopia
Reuters - Monday 21 January 2013, 17:31
Ethiopia ended a 31-year absence from the Africa Cup of Nations by having their goalkeeper sent off, missing a penalty and holding
champions Zambia to a 1-1 draw in an eventful Group C match on Monday.
The
Ethiopians' wildly enthusiastic and noisy fans threw bottles, vuvuzelas
and other missiles on to the pitch in protest at the red card handed to
keeper Jemal Tassew.
He was
carried off on a stretcher after a wild flying kick and lunge at
Zambia's Chisamba Lungu in the 32nd minute which evoked memories of the
infamous foul West Germany goalkeeper Harald Schumacher committed on
France's Patrick Battiston in the 1982 World Cup semi-final.
Gabon
referee Otogo Castane allowed Tassew to be treated on the pitch for 11
minutes before showing him the red card as he was carried off.
As
that was going on, a jet fighter buzzed over the stadium, adding to the
general mayhem and cacophony of noise as the Ethiopian fans cheered on
their side.
Ethiopia striker
Saladin Seid had already missed an open goal and a penalty and they held
on for a point following skipper Adane Girma's equaliser to cancel out
Collins Mbesuma's goal on the stroke of half-time, lashing in a
half-volley from the edge of the box after a neat head-on from Isaac
Chansa.
Ethiopia coach Sewnet Bishaw and his Zambian counterpart Herve Renard disagreed on the sending-off.
"The
goalkeeper is there to defend," Bishaw told reporters. "I do not think
it was a sending-off, which is why the fans were so angry.
"They were not angry with the Ethiopian team, but with the referee."
Renard, who fielded 10 of the side that won the title in Gabon last year, disagreed.
"I
have looked at the replay and of course it was a sending-off. He had
to go. The rules are quite clear, you cannot fly into an opponent like
that."
RENARD PRAISE
However, the 44-year-old Frenchman did praise the Ethiopians.
"I congratulate the Ethiopian team they played very well and it was not a surprise to me," he said.
"I
said a lot before the game that we had to be careful. We did not play
as well as we could today and they punished us and I have to thank our
goalkeeper Kennedy [Mweene] because we would have been in more trouble
without him. It was a bad result today and we got what we deserved."
Apart
from Tassew's rash attack and some panicky moments in defence, Ethiopia
played neat football with Minyahile Teshone and Asrat Megersa providing
good balls for Seid to feed on up front.
He
almost scored after 17 minutes and had an even better chance after
Lungu fouled him but he shot weakly from the penalty spot and Mweene
pushed the ball away.
Zambia
did created plenty of chances with Chansa and Chris Katongo doing well
in midfield, but they were frustrated by wayward shooting apart from
Mbusema's goal, scored by the only Zambia player not in the starting
line-up in last year's final.