The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has handed an eight-match ban to referee Eso Doh Morrison for some wrong decisions taken during the Match Week 3 tie between Accra Hearts of Oak and Aduana Stars at the Accra Sports Stadium.
According to Match Review Panel, Morrison did not get some major decisions correct on the day especially his decision to award Aduana Stars a penalty in the match that ended in a 1-1 draw.
The panel in a released statement signed by its Chairman, Dr. Francis Eyiah Bediako issued a ban of 8match weeks for those wrong calls which had a great impact on the outcome of the game.
A review of the match became necessary after Hearts of Oak had filed a complaint about some of the calls made by the referee during the match.
Hearts felt that some of the decisions which included a red card to Mohammed Alhassan was unwarranted and they wanted a second look at the match.
Here is the full ruling of the Ghana FA:
“Per the video watched, the 23rd-minute complaint did not show any clear contact of the two players involved in the tackle.
In the 63rd minute, there was a clear contact in the tackle between player of Heart No. 9 and Aduana player No. 24, but the referee rather judged it as a fair tackle instead of a foul. The referee erred.
In the 78th minute incident, player No. 15 of Hearts of Oak and player number 10 of Aduana were involved in contesting for the ball in the penalty area of Hearts of Oak.
The referee awarded a penalty and a red card against the Hearts player number 15. This, in our view, was a wrong decision taken by the referee.”
REFEREE’S OFFICIAL RESPONSE/DEFENCE
In talking to the referee, he tried to defend every action and decision he took during the match even when all the actions were replayed to him in the video clips.
DECISION(S)
The referee (Eso Doh Morrison) is hereby suspended for eight (8) match days effective from the date of communication for the multiple errors committed during the match.