NPFL Fine Enugu Rangers, Enyimba Over Match Misconduct

The Nigeria Premier Football League has awarded Sunday’s inconclusive table-topping clash to Enugu Rangers, while Enyimba was fined N10m in addition to losing the match.

The league’s management said that the game was awarded to Enugu Rangers, after players of Enyimba staged a walk-out in protest of the penalty given in stoppage time.

It was gathered that Rangers was also fined N5m over-ticketing, breach of stadium security and poor crowd control.

NPFL, in a statement made available to the public on Monday, also ordered Enyimba, to identify and produce the players namely Chibuike Nwaiwu (jersey No. 27), Eze Ekwutoziam (Jersey No. 6) and Elijah Akanni (Jersey No. 10) for investigation and appropriate sanctions.

The statement partly reads: “An order for the forfeiture of three points and three goals in favour of your opponents for refusing to allow the penalty awarded in favour of your opponents to be taken, thereby disrupting the match and bringing the game to disrepute.

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“Identify and produce for further investigation and appropriate sanctions, other players and officials complicit in the disruptive conducts (particularly against the match officials) that led to a discontinuation of the game, in addition to the following identified players; Eze Ekwutoziam (Jersey No.6), Chibuike Nwaiwu (Jersey No.27), and Akanni Elijah (Jersey No.10).”

With three points and three goals awarded to Enugu Rangers, the Flying Antelopes are now on 65 points and are now six points clear of second-placed Enyimba and third-placed Remo Stars.

As additional jeopardy for Enyimba who are tied on points, 59, with Remo Stars, their goal difference has now been narrowed.

Enyimba’s previously 15-goal difference has been reduced to 12, just one more than Remo Stars’ 11 goals.

The two clubs are expected to in accordance with Rule C26, required, within 48 hours of the date of the issuance of the notice of the charges and the fines, to either submit to the summary jurisdiction and the sanctions or elect to be dealt with by a disciplinary panel.

They are also required to communicate in writing whichever option they adopted within seven working days.