Sports

Bad officiating denied Eagles’ victory — Drogba

Published

6 years ago

June 28, 2018

Former Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba has said bad officiating led to Nigeria ’ s ouster from the 2018 World Cup.
Nigeria lost 2 – 1 to Argentina on Tuesday to finish third in Group D and crash out of the competition . Lionel Messi and Marcos Rojo scored for the two – time champions while Victor Moses scored for the Super Eagles from the spot .

Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir failed to award a penalty to the Eagles after Rojo had headed the ball onto his hand in the penalty area under a challenge from Odion Ighalo .

The referee consulted VAR after the insistence of Eagles captain Mikel Obi but ruled that the defender committed no wrong in the act .

Former Chelsea striker Drogba , who was a guest analyst on BBC One, said the referee favoured Argentina unjustly with the decision not to award the second penalty .

He said , “ I think it ’ s a bad decision from the referee not to give Nigeria a second penalty . It’ s the defender ’ s mistake – he didn ’ t read the ball well . It ’ s difficult to give the penalty because it would take Argentina out of the competition . ”

Tuesday ’ s loss was the Eagles ’ fifth to Argentina at the World Cup.