It all started on Saturday during the televised match between defending champions, Township Rollers and Uniao Flamengo Santos. With Santos leading 1-0 with a minute left in regulation time, referee Uyapo Julius awarded a hotly-disputed penalty to Rollers. In addition, he sent off Santos' defender, Onkabetse Seforo. The ball seemingly hit the defender in the chest area and not the hand as the referee decided.
Sekhana Koko tucked away the penalty at the second attempt but Santos will feel justice was done after they progressed to the semi-finals in the shoot-out where Ndobani Mothuba missed the decisive kick. On Sunday, BDF XI cried foul, with coach Losika 'Six' Keatlholetswe refusing to grant Botswana Television an interview citing poor officiating.BDF XI blame their exit from the knockout competition to the several controversial decisions taken by referee Kutlwano Leso. Leso controversially sent off BDF XI defender, Moreetsi Mosimanyana, in what seemed like a case of mistaken identity. The BDF XI bench reacted furiously as they felt the referee had also denied them two clear penalties, which shattered their Coca-Cola Cup dreams.
