Western Equatoria football final stops abruptly
The final of an inter-county football tournament in Western Equatoria State ended abruptly on Saturday after fans entered the pitch, prompting match officials to abandon play. Organisers said the tournament has been suspended indefinitely, citing security concerns around the venue.
Disputed penalty decision triggers pitch invasion
The Inter-County Football Tournament final between Nzara County and Yambio County was halted after a controversial penalty decision. Nzara County was leading 1-0 when central referee Charles Oga awarded a penalty to Yambio County, a call that reportedly escalated tensions among spectators.
Organising committee cites safety and accountability
The local organising committee said the disorder made it impossible to continue the match. A member of the Ibba County organising committee, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorisation, told Radio Tamazuj that the suspension was taken for safety reasons and blamed the actions of Nzara County fans.
Nzara coach: crowd could not be controlled
Nzara County Assistant Coach Alison Wande said the penalty decision was heavily disputed inside the stadium. “Fans and players were unhappy, and despite accepting the referee’s decision, we couldn’t control the crowd,” Wande said. He added that the incident undermined the tournament’s stated purpose.
Spectators question officiating and appointments
Some spectators criticised the quality of match management and raised concerns over the selection of officials. Sunday Musiro, a fan from Maridi County, described the handling of the game as poor and questioned why, in his view, all officials were appointed from Yambio.
Local authorities underline peace initiative goals
Ibba County Commissioner Wilson Tetela said the tournament was organised as a peace initiative aimed at bringing together young people from all ten counties of Western Equatoria State. “Unfortunately, the final between Nzara and Yambio ended in chaos, and we are very disappointed,” Tetela said.
Federation comment not obtained
Efforts to obtain a response from Yambio Football Federation Secretary General Olal Joseph Onorio were unsuccessful, according to the report. Organisers have not indicated a timeline for resuming the suspended tournament.