In the aftermath of Ethiopia’s elimination in Calabar, Sewnet Bishaw, the head coach of the Antelopes Walya, expressed his dissatisfaction with the referee, Gassama Papa from Gambia, during a press conference. Bishaw voiced his frustration, claiming that the referee denied his team two clear penalty opportunities in the match against Nigeria.
“We had our chances today but the referee refused them penalties. It was two clear chances,” Bishaw stated, acknowledging the difficulty of the match. Despite the referee’s decisions, Bishaw credited Nigeria for their superiority on the day, emphasizing the gap between the two teams. He highlighted that Ethiopia’s young players are still developing and playing in Ethiopia but expressed optimism about their future prospects.
Bishaw also extended congratulations to Stephen Keshi, the coach of the Nigerian team, recognizing his leadership skills and predicting success for Nigeria at the World Cup. Ethiopia faced a 2-0 defeat in Calabar, concluding their journey in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.
