MATCH REVIEW PANEL ANNOUNCES DECISIONS ON FIVE COMPLAINTS

The GFA Match Review Panel has announced its decisions on five complaints by Ghana Premier League Clubs for Matchday 1 and 2.

Below are the decisions taken by the Review panel:

1. COMPLAINT BY MEDEAMA SC 

(Medeama SC vrs Accra Great Olympics FC – Matchday 1)

The Match Review Panel found that the video recording of the match failed to capture the full incident that was mentioned in Medeama SC’s complaint. The video did not show the position of the players at the time the freekick was taken.

The Match Review Panel therefore decided that Referee Eric O. Prempeh and Assistant Referee Emmanuel Dolagbanu be given the benefit of the doubt for their decision in the Ghana Premier League Day 1 game between Medeama SC and Accra Great Olympics FC. 

On the second complaint, the panel after reviewing the video of the match held that there was no established offence to merit a penalty and therefore the decision of the Referee was right.

2. COMPLAINT BY LIBERTY PROFESSIONALS FC

(Liberty Professionals FC vrs Bechem United FC – Matchday 1)

The Match Review Panel has declared that Referee decision in the 70th minute of the Ghana Premier League match between Liberty Professionals was correct. 

In a complaint to the GFA, Liberty Professionals FC stated that “in the 70th minute there was a clear serious foul play by Bechem United FC player and the referee just cautioned the player instead of expelling him”. The club also stated that after the incident their fouled player was in the penalty area just in front of the assistant referee (1) who failed to assist the referee to pick the foul. 

However, after watching a video recording of the match, the Panel concluded that the Referees Emmanuel Tampuri’sdecision was correct. The panel also agreed that there was no established offence to merit a penalty so the referee’s decision to ignore the penalty was right.

3. COMPLAINT BY LIBERTY PROFESSIONALS FC

(Elmina Sharks FC vrs Liberty Professionals FC – Matchday 2)

Referee Patrick Okyere’s decision in the 58th minute of the Ghana Premier League Day 2 match between Elmina Sharks and Liberty Professionals has been adjudged by the Match Review Panel as correct.

According to Elmina Sharks FC, in the 58th minute of the match, two players (each from Elmina Sharks FC and Liberty Professionals FC) jumped to head the ball and the referee Referee Patrick Okyere wrongly whistled for a penalty. 

After watching the video, the Match Review Panel concluded that the Referee’s decision to award the penalty was right since the Elmina Sharks FC player punched the football with his handdeliberately and deserved to be cautioned (which was a second caution) resulting in expulsion.

4. COMPLAINT BY INTER ALLIES FC

(Karela United FC vrs Inter Allies FC – Matchday 2)

The Match Review Panel has decided that the Referee made the right decision in awarding a penalty to Karela FC in their Match day 2 game against Inter Allies FC. 

According to the complaint received by the Panel, Inter Allies FC alleged that the Karela United FC player Diwiase Taylor dived in the 18 yard box in front of Referee Abdulai Ibrahim who was much closer to the scene and had a better view but the Assistant Referee 1, Patrick Papale awarded a penalty.

After watching the video of the match, the panel concluded that there was clear established contact between the defender of Inter Allies and the attacker of Karela United FC which was a careless challenge in the penalty area therefore the referee’s decision to award the penalty was right.

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