Former Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba has said bad officiating led to Nigeria’s ouster from the 2018 World Cup. Nigeria lost 2-1 to Argentina on Tuesday to finish third in Group D and crash out of the competition. Lionel Messi and Marcos Rojo scored for the two-time champions while Victor Moses scored for the Super Eagles from the spot.
Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir failed to award a penalty to the Eagles after Rojo had headed the ball onto his hand in the penalty area under a challenge from Odion Ighalo. The referee consulted VAR after the insistence of Eagles captain Mikel Obi but ruled that the defender committed no wrong in the act. Former Chelsea striker Drogba, who was a guest analyst, said the referee favoured Argentina unjustly with the decision not to award the second penalty.
He said, “I think it’s a bad decision from the referee not to give Nigeria a second penalty. It’s the defender’s mistake – he didn’t read the ball well. It’s difficult to give the penalty because it would take Argentina out of the competition.” Tuesday’s loss was the Eagles’ fifth to Argentina at the World Cup.
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