Kaizer Chiefs’ head coach Nasreddine Nabi has expressed his dissatisfaction with referee Eugene Mdluli concerning his officiating of the Betway Premiership match against Polokwane City on Sunday, where Chiefs suffered a 2-0 defeat at Peter Mokaba Stadium.

Nabi’s criticism extends beyond the loss itself; it also involves the serious injury to left-back Bradley Cross, which he believes could have been avoided. He voiced his concerns about the referee’s lack of adequate action regarding the incident.

A win for the Chiefs could have seen them climb to fourth place in the league standings, but the defeat has left them in ninth position with 11 points from eight games. Polokwane City capitalized on Chiefs’ struggles, securing a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Oswin Appollis and Mokibelo Ramabu, moving them up to third place.

“You might recall that my player Edson Castillo is out for six months? I spoke with the referee and all the media, and I’m frequently labeled as aggressive towards referees. I want to make it clear that I do not have aggressive intentions; I respect the referees because without them, football cannot exist,” Nabi affirmed.

“Typically, I avoid discussing referees, but today (the officiating was inadequate). I care about the image of the PSL, and we had two penalty appeals, and now we are missing Bradley Cross – this is completely unacceptable.

“If I lose, that doesn’t indicate I am a bad coach or anything of the sort, yet I truly dislike losing in this way, especially due to refereeing decisions. Consider the incident involving Cross; looking back at it, he could be sidelined for two months due to this injury.

“This reflects unmet expectations. I respect our opponents and the referees, but I likewise expect the same level of respect in return. The primary duty of FIFA referees is to ensure player safety.

“How many of my players have ended up hospitalized? This is simply unacceptable. I voice these concerns to protect myself because of the loss. The solution seems clear to me. Nonetheless, I feel disheartened by the defeat, as our fans came out to support us, and I regret allowing them to drop three points.”

Despite a rocky start to the season, consisting of three wins, three losses, and two draws, Nabi continues to hold faith in the team’s direction. “Anyone who understands football can see that Kaizer Chiefs is making progress,” he declared.

The Chiefs’ next game is against TS Galaxy at Mbombela Stadium on Monday, which is Reconciliation Day.