By Adeyinka Akintunde, Lagos on June 20, 2016

Pandemonium broke out on Sunday evening at the Agege Stadium, Lagos, during the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) match between Mountain of Fire and Miracles Football Club (MFM FC) and visiting Shooting Stars Football Club (3SC) of Ibadan.

Unable to bear the officiating of the match by the centre referee, Alaba Abiodun, MFM fans started throwing bottles and other missiles into the field. The fans claimed that Abiodun had been officiating poorly right from the start of the game, had denied MFM FC a glaring penalty and awarded 3SC a goal.

It took the intervention of the President of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick and the policemen on ground to resume the game. MFM FC went on to lose the game 0-1.

Reacting to the show of shame, Pinnick told Daily Sports after the game: “The match started very well, but in my opinion, the referee killed the spirit of the game. I am going to report to the necessary committee, and I expect that as NFF President, my opinion should be taken seriously because our aim is to develop the game. I will be recommending suspension for the referee, with immediate effect.”

Pinnick, however, did not support the action taken by the Agege fans because “you are not justified for any action of violence.”

In his reaction, MFM Media Officer Olawale Quadri said that what was on display was “a good game, entertaining football” which was marred “due to some errors, from some quarters.” He said that the Agege fans were “only expressing their grievances. They have not hurt any referee, and any officials. Football is an emotional game, and they express their grievances.”

MFM Chairman Godwin Enakhena does not believe that the club would be sanctioned by the League Management Company (LMC) for the fans trouble. He said that “a game was played and it ended. MFM did not refuse to play, and MFM did not touch the referee.” Enakhena called MFM “a baby of five months in the league”, noting that “losing against a traditional side, so there is no shame to lose against 3SC.”

In other matches, Kano Pillars took the lead but got two red cards against league leaders Wikki Tourists, eventually losing 1-3 in Bauchi, with Tijani Adamu and Jamiu Alimi as the culprits.

Currently, Wikki Tourists lead the NPFL table with 41 points after 22 games, with Rivers United coming second with 38 points after 22 games and Enugu Rangers third with 36 point after 22 games.

In the bottom half, Ikorodu United sit at 19th position with 15 points out of 21 games, while Plateau United have 23 points after 21 games and sit in 18th place.

NPFL WEEK 23 RESULTS

Ifeanyi Ubah 2-0 Rivers Utd

MFM 0-1 Shooting Stars

Akwa Utd 2-0 El-Kanemi

Wikki 3-1 Pillars

Tornadoes 1-1 Rangers

Abia Warriors 1-0 Heartland

•Photo shows NFF Amaju Pinnick.

Source Daily Sports

Posted June 20, 2016

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