Harambee Stars midfielder McDonald Mariga (left) celebrates his goal against Angola with team-mates Dennis Oliech and Bob Mugalia at Nyayo stadium on March 27, 2011.
By CHARLES NYENDE cnyende@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Thursday, March 31 2011 at 20:03
Posted Thursday, March 31 2011 at 20:03
Leading Kenyan player McDonald Mariga could play in Harambee Stars’ next African Cup of Nations qualifier away to Angola on June 4.
This follows a favourable response from Fifa after Football Kenya Limited made an impassioned plea to the World football governing body over the player.
Mariga was sent off in Kenya’s qualifying match against Angola last Saturday after getting a second yellow card for removing his shirt to celebrate his winning goal.
FKL chairman, Mohammed Hatimy, said he held a telephone conversation with Fifa president Sepp Blatter at the weekend, who promised to intervene and urge Caf to review the sending off.
Blatter, who is running for another four-year term, will be keen to show he has the interest of African football at heart as he woos votes from the continent.
“We have also written to Caf and explained that the first yellow card was not warranted. We believe Caf will consider our case. Fifa’s involvement will also work in our favour,” Hatimy said.
Mariga, who had a big game in Kenya’s 2-1 win over Angola, got his first yellow card early in the second half when he played the ball after the whistle had gone.
He got his second yellow and subsequent send off when he removed his shirt to celebrate the bullet of a shot three minutes to the end of the match.
Professional foul
“I did a stupid thing after I scored that goal, but that doesn’t mean that our team won’t do the needful when we play away in Angola.
“I am annoyed with that red card of course, but the referee wasn’t fair. My first yellow card wasn’t warranted,” Mariga told the Nation.
Kenya coach Zedekiah Otieno, who has already rued the unavailability of Mariga, was cautiously hopeful of the reverse.
“The first yellow card was not warranted. Referees err and for the good of the game the administrators should reverse unfair decisions. It happens around the world.”
Cecafa secretary general Nicholas Musonye, who has extensive contacts in Caf, said Kenya’s case could be successful since they were chasing the match when the first yellow was given.
Musonye also added that Caf was striving to show that it was fair in its dealing and this could work in Kenya’s favour.
It is not uncommon in football for referee decisions to be reversed on appeal well after the match.
A case in point is the recent reversal of the red card given to Sunderland’s John Mensah in a recent English Premier League match against Liverpool.
Mensah was dismissed in the 81st minute for a professional foul on Luis Suarez.
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