General Manager Collins Edwin sports club of Lagos, Ugwu Jay Uche has explained the real reasons why his players had to leave the pitch during a match between his club and NNL team, Ikorodu City Football Club in the round of 16 of WGB Lagos State Challenge Cup.
The match between Collins Edwin and Ikorodu City which was held on Thursday at the FIFA legacy pitch of the National Stadium was abandoned when a controversial penalty was awarded against Collins Edwin.
It will be recalled the English Premier League started in 1992/93 and since then six Premier League matches have been abandoned.
In an exclusive chat with Sports247.ng, Uche revealed that he would not allow his boys to be subject to mental torture after the center referee awarded a controversial penalty against his team.
“It is not in my character to leave the field when the match is going on. Our match against Ikorodu City was a clear indication that Collins Edwin was a target in the Lagos FA cup. The referee in question was not only biased but acted on the scrip of those who sent him to do the dirty job and I believe that the best way was to leave the match for them,” he said
Uche explained further that his team were leading by a lone goal before the referee awarded a controversial penalty against them in the first half which forced him to order his players to leave the pitch.
“I would have continued but I remembered how I was denied a ticket to NNL by Ikorodu City formerly known as Destiny boys at Shagamu last year. A lot of football fans know the story and secondly, I looked at my players after the referee awarded that dubious penalty and they were angry over the officiating. I said in my mind that if I allowed them to continue, they may assault the referee,” he added.
Uche in his explanation apologized to the club management, and fans within and outside the country for taking such a decision by abandoning the match.
“I felt so sad that my players can’t continue the game and I had to apologize to our management, fans and the state FA, very sorry for the act” Uche concluded.
