SAFF Championship 2023: Igor Stimac was targetted by referees, says assistant coach Mahesh Gawli

Igor Stimac saw the red card in the 81st minute of the match after the match official called for the referee on the touchline and was followed by a red card for the coach, who also saw a red card in the opening SAFF Championship group match against Pakistan.

However, Mahesh Gawli, who had to attend the post-match press conference after Stimac’s red card, said unlike the last game, when the red card was justified, the Indian coach was not at fault and was targetted on purpose by the referees during the match.

“Our coach was just having a conversation with the player and the referee, after talking with the line officials, approached him (Stimac) and showed the card. They were targeting him,” said Gawli.

Gawli, who is also a former national team defender, was visibly upset with the standard of refereeing during the match and urged SAFF to rethink the quality of referees hired for the tournament.

“The refereeing was poor and the SAFF has to think about the quality of the officials or the tournament will suffer. Our coach (Stimac) was faultless and the referee could not control the match. Our team was brilliant and Kuwait was very rough,” said Gawli.

The refereeing officials for the match were Bangladesh’s Alomgir Sarkar (match referee), India’s Md. Nuruzzaman Nahid (assistant referee), Pakistan’s Arshad Ul Haque (fourth official) and Bhutan’s Phurpa Wangchuk (second assistant referee).

Emotions ran high during the match as players from both sides got into heated arguments as Kuwait players resorted to a more physical and rash approach to India’s high-intensity display in the second half. The game looked for India’s taking before Stimac’s red card at the 81st minute the focus of the game away from the field to the dugout.

Eight minutes later another melee broke out as Sahal Abdul Samad was cautioned for a high-footed challenge against Kuwait midfielder Hamad Al Qallaf. Indian forward Rahim Ali, who was nearby, came charging at Al Qalaff right after referees whistle and pushed the rival, who went on the ground and rolled multiple times.

Soon multiple players from both the sides joined in the argument before the referee dispersed them. There were heated exchange of words on both ends of the dugouts too as the referee had to intervene there as well and soon after he red-carded both Rahim and Al Qallaf.

Replays later showed that Al Qallaf faked a contact as Samad’s boot never touched him.

Earlier Igor Stimac warned after his red card in the game against Pakistan, when he stopped a Pakistan player from throwing the ball in, that he won’t shy away from showing his sentiments to the referee if he feels his players are treated unfairly.