Ghana Premier League: Penalty or No penalty? Retired referee Joseph Wellington gives his verdict on controversial penalty against Kotoko [Asempa FM Ultimate Sports Show]

Retired FIFA referee Joseph Wellington has passed his verdict on the controversial penalty incident which took place in the Elmina Sharks and Asante Kotoko Ghana Premier League game on Monday.

Referee Abdulai Ibrahim awarded a penalty to Elmina Sharks after Mohammed Sherif handled a corner kick inside the Kotoko box.

The incident has generated a huge controversy on social media and traditional radio. But, referee FIFA referee Joseph Wellington has told Benedict Kwadwo Mensah on Asempa FM that the referee got the decision right.

“It is a legitimate penalty. The defender made his body bigger. He had expanded himself. For me, what I saw there was a legitimate penalty call by the referee,”  he said.

Goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim dived to his right to save Alhaji Mustapha’s kick but the assistant referee flagged him for moving off the line before the ball was kicked. The Kotoko players, led by Danlad, staged a strong protest leading to a red card being flashed to Ibrahim Imoro for harassing the assistant referee.

“At the time of the kick, if both legs are off the line the kick must be retaken. In the case of Danlad, both legs were off the line. In the case of the penalty against Elmina Sharks, the goalkeeper had one leg on the line before the kick was taken,” he added.

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