Aliyu Zubairu, the Gombe United Football Club’s Technical Adviser, on Sunday expressed his outrage over what he believed was a good goal which was disallowed by the referee.
Sporting Tribune reports that the MatchDay 4 fixture in the Group B of the abridged 2022/2023 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) ended 1-1 against Nasarawa United of Lafia at the Pantami Township Stadium in Gombe.
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).
ALSO READ: Brighton reject second Arsenal bid for Moises Caicedo worth £70m
”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.”
Speaking 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.”
ALSO READ: LALIGA: Real Madrid suffer slip in title race following 0-0 draw with Sociedad
On his part, the coach of Nasarawa United, Bala Nikyu, said securing their first point of the season after four matches was important.
“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.
Chinedu Ohanachum had opened the scoring for 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.