A goal a minute
TWO Nigerian football clubs chasing a single place for promotion into the Nigeria Nationwide League began the second halves of their final games of the season level on points and goal difference: Plateau United Feeders were winning 7-0 against Akurba FC; Police Machine FC was up 6-0 against Bubayaro FC. Police Machine then netted a further 61 goals, while Plateau United Feeders went on an even wilder scoring spree, averaging 1.6 goals a minute and ending its game 79-0.
“In a game of 45 minutes? Is that possible?” asked an official of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF). Questionable refereeing and home bias featured heavily. “There were times when they didn’t even wait for the ball to go back to the centre,” says Arafat Aliy, a local sports journalist. The games were scheduled at the same time in the hope of avoiding match-fixing, but spies with mobile phones at the two venues communicated with running commentaries to club officials.
While fans were mildly amused, the NFF was outraged by the “mind-boggling show of shame, never previously witnessed in Nigerian football”. It vowed to deal with the “despicable matter”. All four teams have been suspended; the players, club owners and match officials are under investigation. Bubayaro FC’s owner has disbanded his team.
The episode is a particularly comical example of the corruption endemic in Nigerian football. League tables are curiously close because home teams rarely lose. Twelve of Nigeria’s 20 clubs are unbeaten at home. The two bottom clubs, Wikki Tourists and Sharks, have between them won 13 of the 19 games played on their own turf. Tempting match officials with bulky brown envelopes and intimidating visiting teams are customary in order to secure a home win. Lax security at stadiums means referees are poorly protected from bribes or coercion.
Some say televising the matches could help curb the problem. In the meantime, a committee has been set up to investigate the scandal. But judging by the past performance of a string of similar committees, match-fixing is unlikely to end in a hurry.
Buy on AliExpress.com
