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Soccer News of Wednesday, 16 April 2008

Source: GHP

Referees Escape Death During Second Division Football Match.

Another disaster nearly struck Ghana football when class one referee William Kwame Gligue, assistant referees Clement Zonaba and Isaac Abotsi from Akatsi escaped death by teeth when irate players,team officials and supporterers holding weapons pounced on them to vent their spleen .

The incident happened yesterday at Mepe during the Volta Region second division third week soccer league fixture between Ananse International Academy FC and Red Bull Soccer Academy from Sogakope .It was a day of shame for Ghana football as match referees were reduced to a punching bag with not even a police officer present to come to rescue them during the time of the incident.The barbaric and uncivilized act occurred when in the 89th minute a player of Ananse International Academy Angglo Omegah was given the marching off order for a second bookable offence.

The resultant free kick by Livingstone Logoh was beautifully connected home by Sulemana Zuberu for the referee to whistle for a goal to the visiting team Red Bull Soccer Academy. The shrill of the whistle awarding the goal had not died down when the players, team officials of Ananse International Academy FC together with their supporters in their hundreds rushed on the referee and started venting their anger with multiple slaps and blows. The helpless referee who became dazed and slipped in the process quickly got back on his feet ,ran and sought refuge in a classroom.

This savage spectacle worsened when the supporters outside the park pulled down the sack which was been used to wall the park and joined their colleagues,took the referee hostage and kept vigil in-front of the school building with some holding clubs, metals and other weapons. It took the timely intervention of the police personnels who were quickly mobilized by the visiting team during the time of the incident who came and rescued the match officials from being lynched to death.

Red Bull Soccer Academy who were pre match favorites went into full action after the referee’s whistle and pinned their opponents into their own half. By the 15th minute of the first half ,their tactical discipline and superiority had clearly been established as they mounted incessant pressure to get the opener .With well rehearsed passes , one could prognosticate the host were going to be buried under avalanche of goals.

Miraculously, Ananse International Academy FC survived at the series of attacks and bombardments thanks to the agility of their goalkeeper Agbale Torbombey. On countless occasion ,the game could best be described as unyielding goalkeeper Agbale versus Red Bull Soccer Academy .

Occasionally ,Ananse international Academy made some in-roads into to vital area of their opponents but wasted the chances which came their way. Back from recess, the story was not different from what went on during the first half with both teams wasting chances. During the dying embers of the game, the host multiplied in the defense to solidified their defensive barrier and adopted rough tackles to calm and put fear into their opponents.

In the 90th minute, hard pressed Angglo Omegah lacking ideas hacked substitute Ishmael Baba around the centerline and was given the marching off order for a second bookable offence.Skipper Logoh who elected himself for the free kick sent a tailored pass to Gilbert Fiamenyoh who then gave a carpet pass to windsor Zuberu Sulemanu to slot home for the much awaited opener to the visiting team.

Immediately the ball entered the net and the goal awarded ,the home team players ,team officials and supporters quickly rushed on the referee and started registering their spleen with slaps and blows .The situation was so horrible that the match officials could not come back to the pitch for the final whistle to be blown to signal the end of the match.