The Nation Newspaper

Tag: OFFICIATING

  • Owena Queens blame defeat on fatigue, officiating

    Captain of Owena Queens of Akure, Tosin Egbebiyi has attributed her team’s 34-25 loss to Plateau Peacock to fatigue and poor officiating.

    Owena Queens arrived in Lagos 3 am on Wednesday and played the opening game by 7.30am. Much as they tried, the Queens became tired towards the end of the game and it was clear it wasn’t going to be there day.

    Ebgbebiyi stated that it was sad that her team could not arrive early due to logistic reasons, assuring that the team would get better as the competition progresses. He also blamed officiating for their woes urged the referee to do better in subsequent games.

    “I can say that the officiating wasn’t too good against Peacocks. The referees gave their best but I am sure that they can still do better. Their performance will go a long way in deciding which team wins the tournament.”

    She also said that her team would correct all the mistakes made as they hope to beat high-flying Seasiders Babes of Lagos in today’s encounter. “We know the Seasiders are a tough team but we can beat them if we get out tactics right.”

    In some other games today, Sokoto Rima will take on Prison Key Boys, Abia Valiants will confront Imo Grasshoppers, Kada Queens battle Safety Babes and D Defenders take on Plateau Vipers.

    Also, Kada Stars will lock horns with Borno Spiders, Defenders Babes take on Plateau Peacocks, Edo Dynamos take on Desert Queens, Kano Pillars tackle Lagos Seasiders, Owena Kings take on COAS Shooters, while Niger United plays Safety Shooters.

  • Iorfa hails officiating, praises boys

    Iorfa hails officiating, praises boys

    The Vice Chairman of   Lobi Stars, Dominic Iorfa  has praised the centre referee, Fernidard Udoh, from Akwa Ibom State for upholding the tenets of the game against hostile atmosphere after his boys nicked a vital three points away to Crown FC in a Week 21 Glo Premier League game at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.

    Iorfa in a chat with SportingLife also hailed his boys’  performance in the match.

    “This is the kind of officiating we are expecting in the Premier League. The referee stamped his authority throughout the game and my boys too were never intimidated despite the charged atmosphere. We have said that we would ensure that we improve better than we did in the first stanza and this away victory is a morale booster ahead of better things to come,” Iorfa told SportingLife.

    Lobi Stars secured first away win in two seasons against Crown FC by 1-0 on Wednesday.

    It was Lobi’s first road maximum points since 2012 when the club beat Dolphins 2-0 in a league in Port Harcourt and this aided the club to end the season in third place behind Kano Pillars and Enugu Rangers.

    There was much pressure in the first half from both sides.

    However,  everything got changed in the 53rd minute of the match after the Ajilete Boys’ defender felled Lobi’s schemer in the vital area and centre referee Ferdinard Udoh did not hesitate to spot the infringement and awarded a penalty kick to the away side.

  • Poor officiating cost us Enyimba game -Adeleye

    Media officer of Nembe City FC Gbenga Adeleye has attributed his team’s ouster in the Round of 16 of the Federation Cup in the hands of Enyimba to poor officiating at the Akure Sports Complex.
    Adeleye in a chat with SportingLife after the game stated that he was surprised with the level of officiating from the Ondo-based centre referee.
    “We came here with a purpose but the centre referee made things difficult for us. We dont like complaining about officiating as a professional side. I am disappointed but credit must go to my side for putting up a good performance. We have to put this behind us and focus on the league considering our position on the log,” Adeleye said.

     

  • Players dissatisfied with officiating

    Players dissatisfied with officiating

    Some players taking part in the ongoing 36th Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Senior Open Tennis Championships on Thursday expressed mixed feelings over the organisation of the tournament.

    Some players, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), hailed players’ performances but said that there had not been an improvement in officiating.

    Thomas Otu, tournament Number Seven seed, said that more efforts should be made to ensure better officiating.

    “For me, it is the same lapses we experienced in the previous editions; I will really like to see a lot of changes in the competition. The umpires also have to improve because it is unbelievable how wrong they could be at times in their decisions,” Otu said.

    He, however, commended the players for good performances in spite of challenges. Samuel Omoile, a number five seed, also said that there had not been an improvement in officiating.

    “There has not been any remarkable improvement in officiating; this is not good for the development of the game in this country,” Omoile said.

    Christian Paul, an unseeded player, also expressed dissatisfaction with officiating.

    “They need to bring in more hands to help in the area of officiating; we do not have linesmen in the court that will assist the umpire to make good calls. I am saying this because most players complained bitterly about wrong calls by the umpire,’’ he said.

    Ronke Akingbade, the current female Champion, said that she was dissatisfied with the reduction in the allowances given to players.

    A 21-year-old female player, Loveth Donatus, seeded seven, commended the players’ commitment.

     “Players’ performances are better this year, oppositions tougher while the officiating is just in the average,” she said.

  • POOR OFFICIATING Cooreman to report League refs to FIFA

    POOR OFFICIATING Cooreman to report League refs to FIFA

    Gombe United head coach Maurice Cooreman has threatened to drag Nigerian match officials to FIFA if they do not curb bad officiating in the Premier League.

    Cooreman said poor officiating is giving Nigerian football a negative image among other nations hence the ned to ensure it is halted.

    He affirmed that through his connection, FIFA would beam its searchlight on the goings-on in Nigeria which he reckoned could give the country added bad publicity.

    Cooreman’s latest tirade came in the wake of his team’s 0-1 loss at Ilorin against ABS, a match which he alleged was badly officiated to ensure that the Saraki Boys got maximum points.

    He alleged that Kaduna United also lodged same complaint when they visited the Kwara State Stadium for their recent league match.

    “I am not happy with the officiating in the Nigerian league at all. Is it compulsory for the home team to win at all costs?

    “I am going to use my connection to report the bad officiating and other problems in the Nigerian league to FIFA.

    “FIFA can help us to put things in order. The spate of poor officiating is so very alarming. I have not witnessed such outside Nigeria.

    “We played against ABS last Sunday and the centre referee did everything possible to frustrate our game. It was daylight robbery at Ilorin.

    “We scored a good goal, it was also disallowed. FIFA must hear about all these anomalies so as to put an end to it,” Cooreman told SportingLife.

    Meanwhile, the Belgian tactician hinted that six of the players he registered for the Federation Cup were no longer eligible having been sold to other clubs.

    Star striker Sani Gidado is also ruled out of the contest after he failed to recover from the muscular complaint he had during the Round of 32 Federation Cup tie with Taraba United which they won 2-0 in Lafia.

    Cooreman however stressed that despite the hiccup, Gombe United would be ready for Kano Pillars when the game kicks off later today at the Rwang Pam Stadium, Jos.

    SportingLife recalls that Gombe United lost during the Group Stage of the 2012 edition at the Port Harcourt centre which had Heartland, Nasarawa United, Gombe United and Plateau United while Pillars were semi finalists after losing to Lobi Stars 4-5 on penalties.