FIFA fines Nigeria $153,000 over Abuja Stadium violence
World football’s governing body FIFA has fined handed the Nigeria Football Federation a fine of $154,000 following the invasion of the M.K.O Abiola Stadium after the World Cup playoff against the Black Stars in Abuja.
The Super Eagles will also play their 2023 AFCON qualifiers opener against Sierra Leone behind close doors.
This is contained in the latest disciplinary sanctions published by FIFA on the recent World Cup qualifiers on Monday, May 2, 2022.
Ghana qualify for 2022 FIFA World Cup
The Black Stars have booked a ticket to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after a 1-1 draw game against the Super Eagles in Abuja on Tuesday (29 March).
Ghana held the Nigerians to a goalless draw in Kumasi last Friday and advanced with an away goal advantage.
Thomas Partey opened Ghana’s account in the 10th minute to put the Black Stars in the lead before Nigeria equalised from the spot through William Troost-Ekong. The Tunisian referee initially waved off the foul but it was overturned after a VAR review.
It will be Ghana’s fourth qualification to the global football showpiece.
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Nigeria coach Augustine Eguavoen made five changes to the team that played in Kumasi last Friday while his Ghana counterpart Otto Addo stuck to an unchanged XI, Goal reports.
It was an action-packed first 45 minutes at the Moshood Abional National Stadium with Francis Uzoho making a huge error that led to Ghana’s opening goal in the 10th minute.
Four minutes after the half-hour mark, Osimhen had the ball in the back of the net after connecting to a through-ball from Leon Balogun but it was ruled out for offside by the VAR.
The second half started on a bright note for the Super Eagles with Abdullahi Shehu replacing Onyeka but they struggled to break down a solid Black Stars defence.
Moses Simon was introduced in the 61st minute for Lookman while Ahmed Musa and Odion Ighalo replaced Oghenekaro Etebo and Emmanuel Dennis, respectively, in the 78th minute.
Osimhen put Ghana’s defence on their toes but his backheel attempts on two occasions could not beat goalkeeper Joe Wollacott.
The Black Stars defended their advantage while Almeria striker Umar Sadiq was also thrown into the fray in the final six minutes but he could not change the outcome of the game for the Super Eagles..
Ghana will now make their fourth appearance on the World Cup stage, a first since 2014 while the Super Eagles will have to wait for their seventh appearance.
