Nigerian team accused of ‘match-fixing’

A Nigerian football team is facing accusations of match-fixing after a truly bizarre penalty shootout.

Thursday’s Ogun State Cup final has come under scrutiny after Remo Stars appeared to throw in the towel against Ijebu United after the match had ended goalless.

For one of Ijebu United’s spot kicks, the Remo Stars goalkeeper stands on his line and remains perfectly still.

He then appears to allow his opponent to direct a fairly tame penalty into the bottom corner.

Things got even more bizarre when a Remo Stars player stepped up to take a penalty and then blasted his effort sideways, with the ball flying off the side of the pitch.

He then held his hands on his head in an apparent effort to make the miss appear genuine. 

The video, which has gone viral on social media, has left fans with baffled with some supporters accusing the players of corruption.

“They could have done it without making it so obvious,” wrote one Twitter user.

Another added: “Match fixing of the highest order.”

However, Nigerian podcast host Ibukun Aluko, who himself had accused the players of match-fixing in an earlier tweet, later claimed that the Remo Stars squad had deliberately missed their penalties in protest at the officiating in the match.

“I found out that Remo stars players deliberately threw away their first 3 spot kicks and their Goalkeeper also remained motionless when the opponents took theirs as a MARK OF PROTEST for the unfair officiating in the game,” he wrote on Twitter.

SPORTbible has contacted Remo Stars for comment.

Remo Stars would eventually go on to lose the penalty shootout 3-0, with Ijebu United lifting the cup.

Whatever the reason for the misses, you’re unlikely to ever see a more bizarre penalty shootout.