The Nigeria Football Federation was left red-eyed and
livid with rage after two matches in amateur league games produced what
ordinarily should have shattered the Guinness Book of World Records with 146
goals.
Plateau
United Feeders produced a mind-boggling 79-0 victory over Akurba FC
while Police Machine FC demolished Babayaro FC 67-0. All teams were involved in
promotion play-offs in which the winners would qualify to play in Nigeria
Nationwide League Division 3.
The
matches were going on simultaneously and Plateau and Police Machine were in
contention for promotion.
The two
winners were apparently monitoring their scores and kept recording the goals to
outdo each other. The Nigeria Football Federation, alarmed by the
scandal, reacted swiftly by placing the four teams on indefinte
suspension and dismissed the results as laughable.
“It is
unacceptable. This is a scandal of huge proportions. The four teams involved
are suspended immediately and indefinitely, pending further sanctions. We will
investigate this matter thoroughly and get to the bottom of it,” Chief Mike
Umeh who is the first Vice President of NFF said.
The
highest number of goals scored in a single game by one team is also the largest
margin of defeat by any team and it was the Game between Arbroath and Bon
Accord in 1885 where the score was 36-0 . The goals glut if allowed by NFF,
definitely, would have shot the teams into the history books.
Group
Sports Editor, Onochie Anibeze was alarmed yesterday and asked repeatedly if
the goals were scored with legs or hands. He said that match fixing was a
criminal offence and that those involved should be investigated and prosecuted.
Also
stunned by the massive scorelines, NFF’s Director of Competitions, Dr. Mohammed
Sanusi assured that the Organising Committee would punish all persons and
institutions indicted by the investigation.
“For now,
all the match officials are suspended. The teams involved, their players and
officials, coordinator and anyone found to have played some role in this
despicable matter would be severely dealt with,” Sanusi angrily said.
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