Sharks Football Club of Port Harcourt on Sunday in Lafia, Nasarawa State abandoned their Match Day 36 fixture in the 2014/2015 Nigeria Professional Football League against hosts, Nasarawa United FC.
The match was abandoned after 66 minutes of play over what the visiting side felt was an unjustified penalty kick call.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the game, which was thrilling until that point, had already seen four goals, with both sides scoring twice each.
However, in the 66th minute, Afeez Aremu of Sharks FC committed a foul against Ugochukwu Leonard of Nasarawa United in the penalty box.
This prompted centre referee Abubakar Ago to point to the penalty kick spot, a decision which was disputed by the Sharks players and officials.
NAN reports that referee Ago did not only award a penalty kick to the home side but also issued a second yellow card to Aremu, leading to his dismissal.
But the away team disputed this and promptly left their penalty area, refusing to continue with the match.
This continued till the match was blown off by Ago who had waited for 15 minutes for Sharks players to return for the match to continue.
In an interview with NAN later on, Okey Kpareku, Sharks’ General Manager, said he was disappointed with the match’s officiating.
Kpareku wondered if the NPFL had really improved in terms of organisation.
He said: “I feel so bad about the way we have our games organised and officiated.
“The league management should do its best to put in officials, put in a lot of human resources into the system.
“It is just for us to appreciate what they have done and give a good outing, an outing that is commendable.
“Instead of us (clubs) to do that, we use our hands to spoil the system, which is very bad.
“It is as if we don’t appreciate the LMC, who are doing their best.”
On Sharks’ next line of action, Kpareku said his team would wait for a final decision from the League Management Company.
He said: “Sharks players were on the pitch till after the centre referee blew the final whistle.
“My players saw what happened and it is too obvious.
“We know the referee has the final say.
“They were there on the pitch and they were there until the 15th minute then the referee called off the game.
“So, we will wait for the LMC and look forward to whatever they will say and, probably, what the authorities concerned will do.
“We will now begin to move from there.”
Festus Allen, Sharks’ Head Coach, said the way referee Ago awarded the penalty kick and issued a red card to Aremu prompted his team to abandon the match.
Allen said: “I cannot say much because I am short of words.
“You saw what led to the protest and the way we were given red card.”
NAN reports that the match’s first goal was scored in the third minute from the penalty kick spot by Segun Sogbeso of Nasarawa United after a foul on Anyu Ishaya.
In the 27th minute, Nasarawa United made it 2-0 through Ugochukwu Leonard who received a pass from Ishaya to score from close range.
In spite of the two goals, Sharks FC did not relent and reduced the tally in the 33rd minute via a penalty kick by Aremu after a foul on Christian Pyagbara.
After the break, Sharks drew level, scoring in the 58th minute through Aremu who capitalised on poor defending to blast home from close range.
Other results:
Heartland FC 3-2 Giwa FC
Wikki Tourists 2-0 Dolphins FC
Abia Warriors 0-1 Enyimba International
Warri Wolves 4-0 Bayelsa United
Rangers International 2-2 Akwa United
El-Kanemi Warriors 1-0 Kano Pillars
Kwara United 1-0 FC Taraba
Shooting Stars 2-1 FC IfeanyiUbah
Sunshine Stars 0-1 Lobi Stars (abandoned)
*disrupted after 77 minutes
Nasarawa United 2-2 Sharks FC (abandoned)
*disrupted after 55 minutes
NAN.