Hearts of Oak NCC call for demotion of match officials after Asante Kotoko defeat

The National Chapter Committee (NCC) led by their chairperson, Elvis Herman Hesse,has formally appealed to the Disciplinary Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), seeking the demotion of match officials involved in Hearts of Oak’s recent Ghana Premier League fixture against Asante Kotoko, which ended in a 3-2 loss for Hearts.

The appeal stems from a contentious goal scored by Asante Kotoko’s Steve Mukwala during the 55th minute of the match. Player Peter Acquah, donning the number 30 shirt for Asante Kotoko, was observed receiving a pass from an offside position before a shot by Issac Oppong reached Hearts’ goalie Ayi. Ayi failed to secure the shot, allowing Mukwala to capitalize on the rebound, bringing the score to 2-1 in favor of Asante Kotoko. The linesman , however didn’t flag for an offside offense and remained adamant upon consultation.

Addressing the media, Elvis Herman Hesse advocated for the suspension of all officials involved in the game, emphasizing the adverse impact on Hearts of Oak’s defense. He stated, “We, the Hearts of Oak NCC, have remained silent for too long, and now it is time to take action. We appeal to the GFA to suspend and demote all officials, including the referee, linesmen, and fourth official. Throughout this season, there has been a deliberate attempt by referees to favor our opponents, and we strongly oppose it. If the GFA fails to act, we will take matters into our own hands.”

The match concluded with a 3-2 victory for Asante Kotoko, with Stephen Mukwala scoring twice in the second half for the Porcupine Warriors. The contested officials include Imoro Osman (center referee), 1st Assistant Akugre Theophilus, and 2nd Assistant Yakubu Hassim.

As a result of this win, Asante Kotoko extended their unbeaten streak to five games, securing five wins out of five.

Hearts of Oak, now utilizing the Baba Yara Sports Stadium as their new home venue, will shift their focus to the upcoming fixture against Great Olympics after securing the 9th position on the league log with 16 points.