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Rulani: We are 7 points short because of referee mistakes

After dropping points at home over the weekend, ending his side's five-game winning streak, Rulani Mokwena expressed his frustration with refereeing decisions against his side.

Wydad Athletic Club were held to a goalless draw in a Botola Pro 1 encounter against COD Meknes at the Stade El Arbi Zaouli on Saturday.

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The South African tacitian was visibly frustrated while attending the post-match press conference and did not hold back as he shared his thoughts on what he liked and disliked about the match, following the end of his side's hot run of form.

"I don't like the match. I don't like the match at all. Maybe the only thing I like about the game is the feeling I see in the change room," he said. 

"Normally, when I arrived, when we play a draw, the feeling is jovial and happy. The players are very upset, and I like that. I like the feeling in the change room after the game."

He added: ""I don't like the grass on the stadium today. I don't like the feeling from the fans today. Too tense. I don't know if we are a team that has not improved enough to have fans backing us and supporting us and pushing us today.

"I thought our fans were so tense. I could feel it. The players could feel it. So a lot of things today I didn't like."

Following a goal that had been disallowed, Mokwena questioned the official's decision-making, as well as their use of VAR. 

"I mean, I think that's why I say to you, I don't like everything because I don't know how Zakaria [Nassik]'s goal is offside because I see the replay and I see [Selemani] Mwalimu and I'm not sure what the offside call is about.

"So I don't like that decision. It's the same, even, I was watching a game last night, and I see VAR is calling a red card for, I think it was [SSC] Mohammedia last night, where the VAR is not involved in red card decisions. 

"VAR is involved only to call whether offside or goal, not whether you have to rescind the yellow card and take out a red card. That's not the purpose of VAR.

"So there are a lot of things that I look at this whole season. I'm sorry. I'm frustrated because we are six points, seven points short because of some refereeing mistakes." 

The Red Castle remain in second place on the league table but are level on points with third-placed RCA Zemamra and just two points ahead of AS FAR in fourth. The side also trail RS Berkane at the top of the table by 15 points.

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Mokwena's men will be eager to recover and maintain their hopes of qualifying for CAF competitions next season when they take on the league leaders on Friday, in what is anticipated to be a thrilling encounter.

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