In a rare admission of error from the powers that be, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited has conceded that Manchester United's second goal...
In a rare admission of error from the powers that be, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited has conceded that Manchester United's second goal in their Sunday Premier League encounter against Nottingham Forest ought to have been ruled out for handball. GoalZaza can exclusively report that the goal, which proved to be the lion's share of United's victory, was a source of considerable controversy among the Forest faithful and neutrals alike. The incident occurred when the ball inadvertently struck the arm of a Manchester United attacker in the buildup to the strike, an infringement that the match officials unfortunately failed to detect in real time. In the scheme of things, this admission raises serious questions about the consistency of officiating in the top flight, especially with the technology available to review such incidents. At the end of the day, the result stands, but Nottingham Forest will feel aggrieved that they did not get a fair rub of the green in a contest where they gave a good account of themselves. For Nigerian fans watching in the local viewing centres across Lagos and Abuja, the atmosphere was electric as the news filtered through on GoalZaza. In places like Surulere's popular hub, supporters clad in the jerseys of their favourite European clubs argued passionately, with many insisting that the Super Eagles' own Victor Osimhen or Victor Boniface would never be allowed such a controversial goal if they were playing in the Premier League. The debate raged on over bottles of cold drink and plates of jollof rice, with the consensus being that the referees must do better to protect the integrity of the beautiful game.
