The Nigeria Football Federation has challenged the decision to invalidate Edo Queens’ penalty-shootout victory over Ampem Darkoa Ladies in the WAFU-B Women’s Champions League qualifying final.
The teams drew 2-2 in Ouagadougou on September 5 before Edo Queens won the shootout 4-1. CAF subsequently ruled that the final should have gone to two periods of extra time before penalties and ordered play to resume from 2-2 at the start of extra time.
CAF had initially reported Edo Queens as winners and listed them as the zone’s qualifier.
In its September 29 appeal, as described in the material provided, the NFF argues that the clubs followed the match officials’ directions and that Edo Queens should not bear responsibility for the failure to play extra time.
‘Edo Queens neither elected nor requested that extra time be dispensed with,’ the federation states. It also argues that winning the shootout cannot ‘retrospectively convert its compliance with the referee’s instruction into responsibility for the regulatory breach.’
The NFF is seeking restoration of the result and has asked for the legal basis for cancelling a completed shootout and reopening the final.
The appeal leaves the WAFU-B title and its CAF Women’s Champions League place in dispute pending a final decision.