Avoidable Error: Nigeria’s Super Eagles lose three points in World Cup qualifier

Super Eagles

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have lost three points in their 2018 World Cup qualifier. The loss came as FIFA gifted Algeria a 3-0 walk-over defeat of the Eagles, because Nigeria fielded an ineligible player in the match.

The fixture on Nov. 10 had ended 1-1, but FIFA on Tuesday added that the decision did not affect the final standings in African Qualifying Competition Group B.

It said the decision also did not affect Nigeria’s qualification for the FIFA World Cup in Russia, as they had finished six points clear of Zambia.

The player involved in the match played in Constantine was Shehu Abdullahi, and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is also receiving a fine of CHF 6,000.

The sanction relates to Abdullahi failing to serve the automatic one-match suspension imposed on him as a result of receiving a caution in two separate matches of the same competition.

FIFA, in a statement, also said East Timor had forfeited seven games in the World Cup qualifiers for fielding a total of nine players who were ineligible because of nationality.

This was based on a decision previously taken by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Total
0
Shares
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Related Posts
Read More

Analysis: Buhari’s Dot-In-a-Circle and Makinde’s AK-47 – By Festus Adefayo

Was it better that President Muhammadu Buhari remained unapologetically deaf to all entreaties to address Nigerians or open a window into his mind and reveal a cesspit of foul-smelling hate? Peradventure there were still nationalistic remnants among his coterie of admirers, after last Thursday’s interview the president granted Arise TV, they would be at the crossroads. Their dilemma may jolly well be addressed by a famous Maurice Switzer quote whose authorship had before now been a subject of controversies. Was it authored by Abraham Lincoln or celebrated humourist, Mark Twain? Anyway, Switzer, in a book written in 1907, had said, which I tinker with for the purpose of this discussion, that, “It is better to remain silent at the risk of being thought an ethnic bigot (inflection mine), than to talk and remove all doubt of it.”