Moroccan referee Driss Lamghaidar and his officiating team has admitted their error in allowing for extra time and penalties in Saturday’s 2026 CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between Nigeria and Ghana in Kaduna.

Dignitaries and spectators in the stands were befuddled when Lamghaidar and his assistants ordered for extra time, and later on penalties, in the first leg encounter that had ended 3-3 in regulation time.

At a meeting on Saturday night, Lamghaidar admitted he had erred in taking the game to extra time and subsequently penalties, as it was only a first-leg encounter, with the second leg and decider to come on Sunday, 18^th October in Keta, Ghana.

This means the fixture is still delicately-poised and both teams now have to all to play for in the return.

Isa Hamza Manga netted a hat-trick for Nigeria, while Mawuli Sosu scored twice and Wise Nyamadi once for the Black Sharks.

The Nigeria Football Federation had swung into action immediately after the match to demand an explanation for the extra time and penalties, which is an anomaly for a two-match fixture in which only the first leg had been played.   

Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko; NFF’s Acting General Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme; Kaduna State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Hon. Ben Kure; Special Assistants to the NSC Chairman Barr. Musa Amadu and Clement Nwankpa; NFF’s Acting Deputy General Secretary, Dr Ademola Olajire and; Personal Assistant to the NSC Chairman, Alhaji Ahmad Muazu, were among top officials of the NSC, the Kaduna State Government and the NFF who watched the match at the Murtala Muhammed Square Beach Soccer Pitch. 

Author: Admin