Referees admit mistake after Nigeria-Ghana beach soccer qualifier goes to penalties

The Moroccan refereeing team has admitted making an error by allowing Saturday’s 2026 CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Nigeria and Ghana to go to extra time and penalties.

Referee Driss Lamghaidar and his assistants took the first-leg match beyond regulation time after it finished 3-3 in Kaduna, leaving officials and spectators confused at the Murtala Muhammed Square Beach Soccer Pitch.

However, Lamghaidar acknowledged at a meeting on Saturday night that the decision was incorrect. As the match was the opening fixture of a two-leg tie, a winner should not have been decided until the second leg.

The return match, which will decide the tie, is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 18thOctober in Keta, Ghana. Both teams therefore remain in contention, with the qualification outcome still to be settled in the second leg.

Isa Hamza Manga scored all three of Nigeria’s goals. Mawuli Sosu struck twice for Ghana’s Black Sharks, while Wise Nyamadi added the other goal in the 3-3 draw.

The Nigeria Football Federation immediately sought an explanation for the decision to introduce extra time and penalties. The federation described the procedure as an anomaly because only the first match of the two-game fixture had been completed.

Senior officials from the National Sports Commission, the Kaduna State Government and the NFF were present for the match. Among those in attendance were National Sports Commission chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko and NFF Acting General Secretary Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme.

Kaduna State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Hon. Ben Kure also watched the game, alongside the NSC chairman’s special assistants Barr. Musa Amadu and Clement Nwankpa.

The NFF delegation also included Acting Deputy General Secretary Dr Ademola Olajire and the NSC chairman’s personal assistant, Alhaji Ahmad Muazu.