The fourth referee indicating two minutes additional time, just before the goal was scored.
Following the uproar that followed the unusual added time in the Match Day 35 encounter of Katsina United and Remo Stars on Sunday, the League Management Committee (LMC) has come out with an explanation of the absurdity.
The home team won 3-2 with the winning goal being scored 34 minutes after the original regulation time.
The press statement issued by the LMC explained that following the second goal of Remo Stars which was scored in the the added time, the home team, Katsina United, held up the game and refused to restart.
Thereafter, there was encroachment on the field by the spectators which accounted for the unusual overtime.
But according to sources at the match, the fourth referee had indicated an added time of two minutes which was vividly captured on video camera. The goal was scored barely 30 seconds later.Video of the equalizing goal and fourth referee indicating ‘2’ minutes added time, just before the goal was scored
Katsina officials disputed the goal and the match was held up for close to 20 minutes. According to a retired Nigerian international referee, contacted by the Sports Village Square, a referee calls off a match after waiting for 15 minutes if a team refused to continue, especially on account of a disputed goal.
“If the remaining time for the match is not up to 15 minutes, the game is called off at the expiration of the remaining time”, said the retired FIFA-badged referee.
Should that had happened, the game, even when it restarted should have been played for just the remaining seconds of the added two minutes.
The full text of the LMC explanations reads:
“It has become necessary to correct the erroneous viral news of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) MatchDay 35 fixture in Katsina (Katsina Utd vs Remo Stars) played on Sunday June 26th 2022.
“Some social media accounts have been spreading information that the match between Katsina United and Remo Stars had over 30 minutes added time.
“This is not true. The match was disrupted by players of Katsina United who protested Remo Stars second equalising goal late in the game. In the process of the players contesting the Referees decision, there was encroachment on the field of play and it took some time before the encroachment was cleared and normalcy was restored.
“The goal stood and the match duly restarted to conclude the remaining added minutes. However, most of those commenting, including some Sports Journalists followed the match on online live game trackers such as Livescore, Betway, flashscore and it need be pointed out that these platforms hardly indicate that a game was inactive and most times leaves there match clock active through out the match.
“It is not possible for a Referee to allow 30 minutes of added time in a 45 minutes half. We appeal to fans and the media to always verify the information they share, especially such that are detrimental to the health of the brand.
“It will be recalled that on MatchDay 33 there was a similar incident in the match between Lobi Stars and Heartland which had several stoppages due to injuries and time wastage right from the first half. “The game was not conclude on time and the same internet websites/blogs reported the match as having 27minutes added time which was totally not correct but also created similar confusion.
“Furthermore, it must be emphasized for the general public to note that only the Match Official is in charge of the official timing of a match and not any online websites/blogs. The LMC is therefore awaiting the official match reports on the encroachment at Katsina so as to take appropriate actions/sanctions on any party found to have erred pursuant to the stipulations of the NPFL framework and rules.”
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