Nigeria National League (NNL) chairman George Aluo has expressed satisfaction with the quality of officiating in the recent match between Gateway United and Osun United at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta.
The match, which ended in a 2-1 victory for Gateway United, was officiated by Babayanju Saheed as center referee, alongside assistants Alalade Taofeeq and Bako Tajudeen.
"I must commend the high level of professionalism displayed by the centre referee, Babayanju Saheed from Ondo State, and his two assistants, Alalade Taofeeq and Tajudeen Bako, from Kwara State," Aluo told NNL media.
Professionalism in Officiating
Aluo highlighted the importance of recognizing excellence in officiating, stating: "Whenever we see people doing the right thing, they need to be encouraged and commended. I was highly impressed by the performance of the centre referee and his assistants, who were in total control of the game."
The NNL chairman praised the officials' forthrightness and firm grip on the match, describing their performance as "top-notch" and evidence that Nigerian referees "have come of age."
"When we have such a level of professionalism, it becomes difficult for any team to complain about poor officiating," he added.
League Improvement
Aluo also noted the quality of the playing surface at MKO Abiola Sports Arena, which he said contributed to an impressive display from both teams. He revealed that his decision to personally attend the match validated the league's strategy of engaging top-rated officials for crucial stages of the competition.
"I'm happy that the reports from most of the venues indicate that the officiating was good across the centres. This shows that our league keeps improving by the day," Aluo concluded.
BenriNews reports that Gateway United's 2-1 victory over Osun United strengthens their position in the Nigeria National League as the season progresses toward its crucial stages.
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