Sewnet Bishaw disappointed by refereeing 

Ethiopian coach Sewnet Bishaw was disappointed by the standards of refereeing in their match against Nigeria on Sunday.

Speaking after a 2-1 loss to Nigeria in Addis Ababa in a World Cup playoff match, Bishaw said officiating was the reason they had lost the game.

“We lost the match because the referee was poor. We scored a goal and he cancelled it out and also did other things that were questionable.”

On the match, Bishaw admitted that his substitutions had not quite worked out.

“When we scored we thought things will be easy. But when we conceded we couldn’t keep up with the pace of the Nigerian side. Plus the substitutions I made didn’t work as planned.”

He however remains optimistic of their World Cup chances against the African champions.

“We are equal and there is no difference between Ethiopia and Nigeria. We will go to their venue to play for a win because football gives every side equal opportunity and we will take our chances.”

Bishaw also lauded the fans for their support, “They are very strong. They love their county and football. They are excellent and we love them.”