The Nigerian side have been accused of match-fixing following incredible scenes during a cup final penalty shoot-out where a player smashed his free-kick for a throw-in shortly after his goalkeeper failed to make a save
- A Nigerian team has been accused of match-fixing after a penalty shootout
- The Ogun State FA Cup Final between Remo Stars and Ijebu United ended 0-0
- The Remo Stars goalkeeper made no attempt to save a penalty as he stood still
- Moments later, a player from the same team sent his free-kick in for a throw-in
A Nigerian team has been accused of match-fixing after a bizarre penalty shootout.
The Ogun State FA Cup Thursday’s final between Remo Stars and Ijebu United went to penalties after both teams failed to score in regular time.
In a video that has gone viral Twittersome of the players’ intentions seemed clear as they appeared to be doing match-fixing.
The Remo Stars goalkeeper (above) made no attempt to save the penalty as he stood still
Firstly, the Remo Stars goalkeeper made no effort to save a penalty as he stood still to watch the ball go past him.
Things got even more bizarre when a player from the same team took his free kick from 12 yards and somehow sent it close to the corner flag.
Ijebu United lifted the trophy after a 3-0 win on penalties.
Podcaster Ibukun Aluko regretted what he had seen, tweeting: “If this isn’t match-fixing then I don’t know what is.
“Why is Nigerian football like this? Why do we never want progress?
‘This is the Ogun State FA Cup Final between Remo Stars and Ijebu United’.
A Remo star stepped forward to take his penalty and somehow pulled it close to the corner flag
Fans took to social media to react to the incident in Nigeria on Thursday
Aluko went on to provide an update on the incident. He said: “I found out that Remo-Stars players intentionally threw away their first 3 penalties and their goalkeeper also remained motionless when the opponents took theirs as a sign of protest for unfair administration in the game.”
Other fans also responded on social media by posting, “They could have done it without making it so obvious.”
A second fan wrote: “The first one I thought maybe yes the keeper doesn’t do much…but that second penalty!”
“This has to be the craziest example of match fixing I’ve ever seen in my life,” a third fan tweeted.
