World football governing body FIFA hit Nigeria with sanctions on Tuesday following the fielding of an ineligible player for the last qualifying match for the 2018 World Cup.
Nigeria were held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria on November 10 in their last group B match played in Constantine and FIFA, in its media release made available to Tribunesport on Tuesday, stated that Super Eagles defender Shehu Abdullahi was not eligible to play the match, having received two yellow cards in previous matches.
For featuring Abdullahi, who played the full 90 minutes, FIFA consequently sanctioned Nigeria by awarding three goals and three points to hosts Algeria. In addition, Nigeria were fined six thousand Swiss franc (CHF 6,000).
“The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has been sanctioned for fielding an ineligible player in the match between Algeria and Nigeria on 10 November 2017. The match is declared to be forfeited and awarded 3-0 in favour of Algeria, with the NFF also receiving a fine of CHF 6,000,” the FIFA Disciplinary Committee statement said.
However with the sanction, Nigeria still have the highest number of points to remain winner of the group’s sole ticket to the Russia 2018 World Cup. Without losing any match, Nigeria had finished on 14 points from six matches before Tuesday’s decision. Zambia finished a distant second on eight points.
Former Kano Pillars player Shehu Abdullahi was an integral member of the Super Eagles that prosecuted the World Cup qualifiers. The Anorthosis Famagusta of Cyprus right back, who emerged the MVP winner in the qualifier against Zambia in Uyo, featured in Nigeria’s six group matches, clocking 386 minutes out of the possible 540.
The FIFA decision now means that Nigeria garnered a total of 13 points from six matches, while the beneficiaries Algeria ended the qualifiers on four points, having originally amassed two points from six matches. Only the one point Nigeria scrapped from that match will be deducted while only two more will be added to Algeria’s one from the match.
Tribunesport made efforts to speak with the secretariat of the NFF and interrogate the issue but the mobile number of the General-Secreatary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi was not reachable. The mobile number of the Super Eagles media officer, Toyin Ibitoye was also not available at the time of filing this report.
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