A section of the passionate El Merriekh fan base shows their support from the stands at Juba National Stadium during their Saturday's match September 20, 2025 - Credit: Hatrik 24

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) -- El Merriekh Bentiu's head coach has apologized to supporters after the team fell to a 2-0 home defeat against Tanzania's Azam FC in a dramatic and controversial CAF fixture at Juba National Stadium.

Azam FC took control early, capitalizing on their chances to secure the two goals that sealed their victory.

However, the game's turning point came in the second half when a potential goal for El Merriekh was disallowed by the referee, sparking frustration among the players and fans.

Following the final whistle, El Merriekh head coach Ibrahim Hussein apologized to the team's supporters, acknowledging collective responsibility for the loss.

"We take this defeat together as a team, and we sincerely apologize to our fans," Hissein said.

While not blaming the loss entirely on the officiating, Hussein did strongly criticize the referees for disallowing what he believed was a legitimate goal, a decision he said "changed the flow of the game."

He also raised concerns about administrative issues with CAF, noting that key players were left off the official match list despite being registered in the CAF squad.

Hissein also voiced broader criticism of CAF's practices, arguing that they do not support the growth of African football. "The draws often place strong teams against weaker ones, and this does not support the growth of football on the continent," he stated. "I am saying this for the future, not just because of today's defeat."