Gabadinho Mhango spits on opponent
Malawi’s Flames temperamental forward, Gabadinho Mhango, has hit headlines for wrong reasons in South Africa football circles for allegedly spitting at his opponent in an off-the-ball incident on Wednesday night.
Spitting is a serious offence in football and it can attract a lengthy ban. But the former Nyasa Big Bullets star got away with it in the South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) game involving his Bidvest Wits and AmaZulu at King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban.
Mhango was reportedly involved in the incident minutes after he had replaced Daylon Claasen in Wits’ 3-0 loss to AmaZulu, whose midfielder Michael Morton has claimed the Malawian spat at him.
Morton, who was red-carded for retaliation, had before the incident scored the opener before being joined on the score-sheet by Jabulani Ncubeni and Rhulani Manzini. The incident has since gone viral on the social media.
Sowetan newspaper and Soccer Laduma reported Thursday that tempers flared after Tapelo Nyongo had fouled Mhango to attract the involvement of Morton in the incident.
“Morton got involved, got spat at by Mhango, lost his composure and angrily pushed out at Wits’ Malawian forward, who fell to the floor dramatically. Morton was red-carded, but there was no censure for Mhango,”www.soccerladuma. co.za stated.
After the game, Soccer Laduma reported that Morton took to Twitter to react to the incident.
“No excuse for the reaction, but when a fellow professional spits in your face it’s difficult to control your emotions,” Morton wrote on @MMORTON6.
Sowetan newspaper added: “While Morton was given his marching orders, Gabadinho surprisingly walked away with nothing.”
In another tweet, former AmaZulu player George Dearnaley shared his experience after also being spat at twice in his career.
“Sadly I have been spat in the face twice. 2 punches. 2 red cards. But both punches well worth it,” he tweeted on @zulushark.
Mhango, who last scored for the Flames last July, was not available for a comment yesterday.
The former Nyasa Big Bullets player’s goal-drought has now gone to over 10 games in all competitions for Wits.
Mhango, who also lost his cool during the Flames game against Togo a fortnight ago in Morocco, has also fluffed two penalty kicks for Wits this season.
After winning the league championship and MTN Cup last season, Wits have only collected two points from five games this season.
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