I followed with keen interest the game between Katsina United versus Remo Stars played on Sunday. How ridiculous could this country be? I have never envisaged that an extra 36 minutes could be added to a professional football match anywhere in this world. Alas! It happened in my backyard; it happened in Nigeria. What a terrible game.
I don’t know why the officials did not make the game a 3 halves competition or how can one explain a match that had to go as lengthy as extra 36 minutes, nine minutes adrift of a normal full half of a soccer contest?
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I watched with disappointment how Katsina United was shamelessly favoured to win against Remo Stars by three goals to two in a clearly disgusting manner anyone could ever imagine. A preposterous part of the show was when 23 additional minutes was awarded after the expiration of the 90 minutes full time. Surprisingly, the 23 additional minutes elapsed and the game went on to end after 36 minutes, abruptly. It ended exactly when the home team scored the winning goal. Just at about that time, the final whistle was blown.
It was crystal clear to everyone, including the diehard Katsina United fanatics, that the game was definitely for the Ikenne Boys to lose. It was orchestrated to go against the Sky Blue Stars.
Isn’t it absurd that a league company in charge of coordinating, conducting, organising and supervising professional matches of Premiership and Laliga equivalent, designed a certain match of interest in a manner to rescue a drowning home team at the expense of innocent young lads. Yesterday’s scene was meant to midwife Katsina United against being pushed into a relegation flood.
To say I’m disappointed is an understatement. The entire game was bad news. I hate being identified with Nigeria’s local league. What an eyesore! Shame!
Muhammed Jemiu can be reached through [email protected]
