Doma United title charge suffered a major setback on Saturday afternoon as they were thrashed 3-0 by the Abia Warriors in their final away game of the first round.
The defeat, marred by controversial officiating decisions, left coach Akinade Onigbinde fuming, raising questions about fair play in the Nigerian Premier League (NPFL).
Defensive Resilience Shattered:
Doma United put in a resolute defensive display for the first half, keeping the Abia Warriors at bay for 43 minutes, Footballrover reports.
However, the deadlock was broken just before halftime when veteran defender Ifeanyi Anaemena converted a penalty for the home side.
Second Half Onslaught:
The second half saw the Abia Warriors take complete control. Sunday, Megwo doubled their lead seven minutes after the restart with a composed finish past Kingdom Osayi.
Doma United made a double substitution in search of a comeback, but their hopes were dashed in the dying moments when Adejoh Ojonugwa added a third for the Warriors.
Onigbinde Fumes:
A visibly frustrated Onigbinde blamed the match officials for the defeat, alleging that they conspired to ensure the Abia Warriors secured the win.
“Actually, I’m not happy about the result. How can the league grow with poor officiating? Must we buy a match before we win? It’s because the game was not televised; that was why all this bad officiating went on,” he said.
The Doma United coach added that:
“If there is fair officiating, nobody would talk as the center referee came here to cheat and she achieved her aim.”
Title Ambitions Dented:
The defeat dropped Doma United to fourth place on the table, overtaken by Plateau United, who beat defending champions Enyimba 1-0 in another match.
The Savannah Tigers will now lick their wounds and regroup ahead of their next fixture, a home clash against former champions Rivers United next Saturday.
Be the first to comment on "Must We Buy Matches Before We Win? – Doma United Coach Laments After Crushing Defeat to Abia Warriors"