Kwara United FC of Ilorin on Tuesday vowed to appeal against the red card issued Lukman Ijaiya in a Week 15 clash against Kano Pillars in the ongoing Nigeria Professional Football League.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Kwara United won the match 3-0 to move to the second position on the league table while defending champions, Pillars, slipped to the third position.
Coach Samson Unuanel, the Technical Adviser of the club, told NAN in Ilorin that the match centre referee “erred” to have dismissed the midfielder.
NAN recalls that Ijaiya was shown the red card in the 77th minute of the match.
Substitute player, Ijaiya, received the marching order barely five minutes after he started playing and was sanctioned for hitting a Kano Pillars’ player.
Reacting against the referee’s decision, Unuanel said that the club’s players were disciplined and always composed themselves on the field of play.
He said: “Our players are some of the well disciplined players in the country.
“What happened was a mistake from the referee.
“Red card was not supposed to be given to Ijaiya.
“When the referee blew his whistle, the player was standing.
“Ijaiya was taller than the other player.
“He wanted to pick the ball and they hit themselves in the process.”
The coach noted that when a situation was being analyzed, the other side should also be looked into for balanced judgment.
Unuanel added: “We brought him (Ijaiya) into the game in order to sanitize the midfield.
“He was trying to do his job and he committed an offence.
“The referee blew the whistle and the opposing player stood up and attacked Ijaiya.
“The referee just wanted to save his name, I don’t know what, but I’m going to protest the red car.”
Meanwhile, United, otherwise known as “Afonja Warriors”, have promised Wikki Tourist of Bauchi a tough time in their away Week 16 match.
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