Nigerian league champions Plateau United will face Algerian side Union Sportive Medina D’Alger in a decisive CAF Confederation Cup playoff leg in Algiers on Tuesday evening.
United take a slender 2-1 advantage from the controversial first leg match decided in Lagos to the July 5 Stadium in Algiers, a venue which has had a Nigerian side; MFM FC absolutely destroyed by another Algerian side MCA earlier this season.
After the first leg game in Lagos, news broke out from South Africa that one of the two teams had approached centre referee Victor Gomes (from South Africa) with a bribe to the tune of 30,000 US dollars with the away side denying any involvement in such development.
The news of the bribery allegation was broken to the Nigerian news space by foremost journalist and lawyer Osasu Obayiuwana who declined naming which among the two clubs approached Mr Gomes. The case is said to have been reported to the South African Football Association (SAFA) with the referee including the incident in his official match report.
With nothing yet heard from the CAF headquarters, the game will go ahead on Tuesday evening with respected Senegalese referee Maguette N’Diaye at the cynosure of all eyes.
United have more worries on the pitch though as ever-present centre back Salomon Junior is ruled out of the second leg following his booking in the first leg in Lagos, meaning defender Elijah Ogene may fill in for him.
Asides that, United have no further worries as coach Kennedy Boboye has a fully fit and refreshed squad to pick from having rested throughout the ten-day window between the first and second leg. Tuesday’s game kicks off at 6pm local time, same time in Nigeria.
