The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has announced its match review panel will evaluate the officiating in the 2022/23 Ghana Premier League match week 13 clash between Bibiani GoldStars and Asante Kotoko played on Monday.
The game ended 1-1 at Dun’s Park to see the Porcupine Warriors draw their last four league games while the hosts are unbeaten in their last nine games.
The officiating in the game raised huge debates after the game because center referee Franklin Akumatey awarded GoldStars a controversial penalty that resulted in the equalizer five minutes after the break. The penalty was saved but a rebound was turned in.
The referee also awarded the hosts a second penalty that they failed to convert again.
There were huge discussions about the competence refereeing in the local league on social media amid struggles to attract fans to stadia recently.
Nearly 48 hours after the game, the GFA has released a statement saying its match review panel will voluntarily review the performance of the game.
“The Match Review Panel will review the betPawa Premier League Matchday 13 fixture between Bibiani Gold Stars and Asante Kotoko which was played at DUN’s Park on Monday, January 16, 2023,” the statement said.
“The Match Review Panel at their next sitting will review complaints received from Aduana FC and other clubs and matches they review on their own.”
Referee Franklin Akumatey has seen apologized and describe his penalty decision as “human error”.
“I’m very sorry to all Kotoko people. It’s a human error. I needed help and I wished I had VAR,” he stated on Kessben FM.