Orlando Pirates coach Bibey Mutombo was whisked away in a police vehicle when his team lost 1-0 to Bidvest Wits FC in a Castle Premiership game at the Bidvest Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Marawaan Bantam scored in the 61st minute to seal victory for Wits and condemn Pirates to their second loss of the season. The Mighty Bucs had more possession, but failed to convert the many chances they created.
Also, Wits goalkeeper and captain Moeneeb Josephs was in fine form and stopped all goal-bound efforts that came his way.
After the game, Pirates fans waited outside the compact stadium for Mutombo and his players who were kept in the change room by security officials. Forty minutes after the game ended, Mutombo and reserve team coach Papi Khomane emerged from the dressing room and climbed into a police car that waited for them on the field.
Pirates players and other club officials were escorted to their bus by security officers, whose presence, though, did not stop the Bucs faithful from cursing their fallen heroes, who looked very worried when they saw 200 or so disgruntled fans waiting for them.
Nevertheless, no one was hurt as the Bucs’ bus hurried away from the Bidvest Stadium.
Pirates team manager Ephraim ”Shakes” Mashaba watched the game from the stands and if Mutombo’s team fail to win another game, then surely the former Amaglug-glug mentor will be roped in to save the Soweto giant from falling further behind on the Castle Premiership table.
One Bucs supporter said he did not believe Mutombo should be blamed for the loss. ”They created lots of chances, but failed to score,” he said before adding: ”I don’t see how we [fans] can blame him for this loss. In the game against Swallows he made the wrong substitutions and it cost us, but I blame the players for this. And the field was also in a bad condition.” — Sapa