Aliyu Zubairu, the Gombe United Football Club’s Technical Adviser, on Sunday expressed his outrage at what he believed was a good goal which was disallowed by the centre referee.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Match Day 4 fixture in the Group B of the abridged 2022/2023 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) had ended 1-1.
The match, which was against Nasarawa United FC of Lafia, was played at the Pantami Township Stadium in Gombe on Sunday.
Speaking at the post-match conference, Zubairu questioned the decision of the referee to disallow what he described as a “good” goal.
“There are no two ways about it, the referee disallowed a good goal, a goal by FIFA standard, the best goal you can think of.
“I was robbed of a good goal. It is as simple as that,” he said.
Zubairu insisted he was not crying wolf where there was none.
“Since the league started, we have lost on home ground and commended the referee. But this referee did not (do something commendable).
”Why will he disallow such a goal! That is my argument,” he said.
Zubairu went on to state that if the goal had been allowed, it would have motivated his players to put in more efforts toward having a better result.
He accused the referee of being responsible for the outcome of the match.
“If he had allowed that goal, that would have gingered my boys to have a better result. But he (the referee) refused.”
On why his team were yet to secure their first home win of the season, he said:
“We have not gotten the rhythm right at home. But when we do, we will be a better team.”
On his part, the coach of Nasarawa United, Bala Nikyu, said securing their first point of the season after four matches was important.
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“We hope to secure our first win when we play home to Plateau United of Jos.”
Nikyu said he thought his side had secured the maximum points from the game, until the hosts equalised from a penalty kick in the second minute of match added time.
“I was feeling we had won the game. But so it is. It is better. The last matches we lost, I’m sure out of the three, two would have been a draw. But there is no problem,” he said.
NAN reports that Chinedu Ohanachum scored Nasarawa United’s goal in the 20th minute while Taye Yusuf’s penalty kick goal helped the hosts to escape a second consecutive home defeat.
In the match’s 85th minute, substitute Anayo Ogbunna’s goal was disallowed to draw the home fans’ anger.
They threw sachet water into the pitch, while Gombe United’s players protested the referee’s decision. (NAN)
