Thursday, June 12, 2008

Enyimba, Pillars' clash ends in mayhem
From Chris Garba, Abuja

HELL was let loose last night at the Old Parade Sports Ground when Kano Pillars disputed an 88th-minute goal netted by Eze Otorogu for Enyimba and its fans poured into the football pitch.

advertisement

However, the quick intervention by the police saved the situation after over 15 canisters of tear gas were fired to disperse the angry fans suspected to be those of Kano Pillars FC.

Uche Kalu had drawn the first blood for the Aba-based soccer outfit in the 26th minute before Garba Yaro Yaro levelled up in the 77th minute for Pillars. The Elephants who suddenly relaxed the tempo of the game saw reality after the equaliser and woke up in their bid to advance to the semifinals in their quest for a continental ticket, having lost out in the Premier League.

Pillars' protest arose when Otorogu netted the second goal for Enyimba, but Pillars players and fans protested that the scorer handled the ball before the goal. Beach FIFA-badged referee, Joseph Ogunmiyiwa from Lagos State, stood his ground that there was no foul committed before the goal. The angry Pillars fans encroached onto the pitch and the police had no option than to fire tear gas to disperse them.

No official from the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) was immediately available to comment on the issue and whether decision had been reached for a replay or not. Also, the Nigeria Football League (NFL) has announced that its newly introduced Super Eight League Cup ceremonial competition is estimated to gulp about N30 million when the four-day tourney holds in Kano from June 18 to 22.

Making this pronouncement during a press conference in Abuja yesterday, NFL boss, Oyuki Jackson Obaseki, said the eight clubs involved in the fiesta - Kano Pillars, Bayelsa United, Sunshine of Akure, Heartland of Owerri, Warri Wolves, Kaduna United and F.C. Abuja - would compete in a knockout system, at the end of which a trophy, medals and cash would be awarded according to how the clubs finished in the tourney.

He disclosed that the outcome of the competition would in no way affect the already decided club representations at the continental level for the inter-club CAF Champions and Confederation Cups, just as there would be no extra-time in the knockout stages until the final match, where extra-time and penalty shootouts would apply.

Participating clubs are to take along with them 22 players and three officials, whose accommodation and feeding expenses would be taken care of by the NFL, just as the clubs have been directed to register for the competition tomorrow, June 13.

Below are the fixtures: Day One - Bayelsa United vs. Gateway of Abeokuta, Heartland of Owerri vs. Warri Wolves. Day Two - Kano Pillars vs. Kaduna United, Sunshine Stars vs. FC Abuja.

Meanwhile, the NFL was still meeting over the corruption allegation made by Kano Pillars' coach, Kadiri Ikhana. NFL publicity sub-committee chairman told The Guardian that the meeting was shifted to the night to enable members watch the FA Cup quarterfinals encounter between Enyimba of Aba and Kano Pillars and that the press would be briefed this morning about the outcome of the decisions reached.