Referee right to cancel penalty awarded to Nigeria – Amokachi

Former Nigerian forward, Daniel Amokachi has praised the referee’s decision to reverse the penalty awarded to the Super Eagles in Friday’s 2022 World Cup qualifying playoff against the Black Stars of Ghana.

Nigeria was awarded a penalty in the 76th minute when the referee pointed to the spot after the ball had struck the hand of Ghanaian midfielder Iddrisu Baba.

However, the official reversed his decision after a VAR review, which showed that Baba had been fouled in the build-up, prompting screams of joy and relief from the largely Ghanaian crowd.

READ ALSO: No penalty decision by the VAR was a correct call – NFF President Amaju Pinnick

And Amokachi believes that it would have been a stonewall penalty if Iheanacho had not pushed Baba in the build-up, insisting that the referee made the right call.

“When the referee was called back to look at the monitor, we knew it was going to be disallowed. That’s when I saw the trip,” Amokachi said on SuperSport along with Austin Okocha and John Paintsil.

“We saw the replay, the referee that went to see the monitor had a better chance to see it.

“It was a penalty kick one hundred per cent without the pull, but when you look at it, a foul before the penalty kick, I think the referee got it spot on,” he added.

The Black Stars of Ghana will travel to Nigeria for the return leg after a goalless draw game at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium last night.

Ghana will need a win or a scoring draw to secure qualification to the World Cup finals in Qatar, while Nigeria must win to advance.

The second tie will take place at Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on Tuesday, March 29, 2022.

The winner of the tie will compete in the World Cup finals in Qatar later this year.