Kano Pillars attacker Nyima Nwagua believes ‘poor officiating’ was largely responsible for the club’s elimination in this season’s CAF Confederation Cup.
Pillars lost 3-1 on aggregate to Senegalese club, ASC Diaraf with the Nigerian club firing blanks at home after losing the first leg in Dakar. Guinean referee Bangaly Konate officiated the first leg on November 28 at Stade Lat-Dior, Thiès while Hamidou Diero from Burkina Faso was at the centre of proceedings in the reverse fixture at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna on December 5.
Nwagua criticised both officials for the manner in which they handled the respective games.
“They are Francophone referees and we (Pillars) are an Anglophone side playing against a Francophone side (Diaraf),” Nwagua told SPNAfrica. “The referees only spoke French during the two games. The Diaraf players could understand every word while we (players of Pillars) couldn’t.
“It was a sad situation and I think CAF could have done better.
“When you lose and say these things, it looks like u r complaining and making excuses but such a situation should never have been allowed to happen.”
Pillars were making their debut in the competition. The Nigerian club had however participated in five previous editions of the CAF Champions League and reached the semi-finals at their first attempt in 2009.
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