Johanneburg - Royal AM were in a scuffle that involved players and club officials during their 3-1 loss to Marumo Gallants in the DStv Premiership at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Wednesday night.
Royal AM’s Thabo Matlaba seemed to have started the scuffle on the field when Gallants were awarded a throw-in late in the match, before things got ugly on the touchline when both benches got involved in the scuffle.
That also saw Royal AM’s boss Shauwn Mkhize, some of her personal security and club officials race down from the stands and onto the playing surface to join the fracas.
Subsequently, the matter cooled down before referee Cedric Muvhali dished out a hoast of cards, showing Matlaba yellow before he showed Gallants’ duo Sibusiso Sibeko and Edgar Manaka red from the bench.
Nonetheless, Gallants made use of the extended additional time late in the game as Mahlatse Makhudubela scored their third goal of the match to give the visitors a 3-1 win
Lesiba Nku had put the visitors ahead before Mfundo Vilakazi equalised late in the game. Cheick Soumaro restored Gallants’ lead before the ugly scenes and Makhudubela’s goal.
It’s not the first time that ugly scenes involving Royal AM have emerged this season as their club officials were in a heated exchange with their AmaZulu counterparts after the 1-1 draw.
𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗙𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗘
Tempers flared after Saturday's KZN derby between AmaZulu and Royal AM at Moses Mabhida Stadium with officials involved in skirmishes.#FARPost pic.twitter.com/QivjhhjCya
In that incident which occurred at Moses Mabhida Stadium, FarPost reported that Royal AM’s staff members allegedly “tried to force their way into an area they were allegedly not allowed to enter”.
According to a report, the incident left security guard Nkosinathi Mbanjwa bruised.
@MihlaliBaleka