World Cup: Mikel Obi questions referee’s decision to deny Super Eagles second penalty
Super Eagles Captain, John Mikel Obi, has questioned the Video Assistant Referee decision that denied a Nigeria a second penalty in their last group match against Argentina in Saint Petersburg, Russia on Tuesday.
Obi said this in a post-match interview.
Marcos Rojo had headed the ball against his own arm in the Argentine box, with Odion Ighalo slamming the ball in the wrong direction.
But a call for a penalty, which would have been the second for Nigeria in the encounter, after the first was taken beautifully and converted by Victor Moses, was rebuffed by the referee, Cuneyt Cakir, who then consulted the VAR.
But despite confirming the ball touching Rojo’s hand, Cakir rebuffed the call for a penalty by Nigeria.
Obi told newsmen after the match: “I have nothing against VAR but I would say it goes for the lesser teams and works for the big teams.
“We’ve seen it again in the dressing room.
There wasn’t any way the referee could not give that.
“The referee looked at the VAR.
“He said it hit the hand.
“I asked why he did not give us a penalty, he said he did not know.
“We did everything we could.
“In the second half we pushed and pushed.
“It is a young team and in four years most of them will be ready for this tournament.
“I’m very proud of the boys and what we have achieved.
“I think we have done really well.”
