Share

Johnson critical of pitch and referee

Cape Town - Platinum Stars coach Cavin Johnson is looking forward to a "better pitch and better referee" in the second leg of their CAF Confederation Cup tie against Vipers Sports Club.

Dikwena are trailing 1-0 from the first-leg, where Milton Karisa scored the only goal of the game in the second-half at St. Mary's Stadium in Uganda on Saturday.

Johnson felt the playing surface at the ground in Kampala was not up to scratch, while he also found fault with the performance of the match official on the day.

But the 58-year-old is confident of turning things around in the second leg on home soil this weekend at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, which will allow for a better spectacle of football.

"Thanks to the Ugandan people for a wonderful atmosphere," Johnson said at the post-match press conference in Uganda.

"It can be a better ground, a lot even. I don't think the football field is a field for playing this type of competition. For future maybe it will get better.

"For the support and other things well done to Vipers. They won and we are happy to go home with 1-0. We know back home, we will have a different plan. We will play better football and hopefully we will have a better ref as well.

"I don't think I fell short on the pitch. I thought the man of the match is the man in yellow. We held the ball, we went forward but when we tried to do something, it stopped.

"For what it's worth, I think we had few chances. When we were about to score or take an attempt the whistle went off. We can overcome those things when we are at home.

"When you get to South Africa, be prepared to play on a better pitch and better referee. I thought the refereeing was not good but that's how football is. You win some and you lose some."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE