By Punch Newspapers
Sunshine Stars coach Duke Udi has slammed the fans of his former club Osun United for the violence that marred their second leg Aiteo Cup match at Ijebu Ode on Saturday.
No fewer than 20 persons reportedly sustained serious injuries while a number of vehicles were destroyed during the fight between suspected Osun United and Sunshine fans. According to witnesses, the invasion of the pitch by suspected Osun United fans after the referee blasted the final whistle led to a free-for-all. Sunshine won the game 3-1.
The referee was said to have incurred the wrath of the fans following a questionable call against the Osun United, who needed a second goal to advance, having won the first leg 1-0.
Sunshine have been scheduled to meet the winners of the quarterfinal tie between Akwa United and Katsina United Feeders team for a place in the final.
Udi expressed his disappointment with the behaviour of Osun United fans, insisting his side deserved to progress to the next round of the tournament formerly known as the Federation Cup.
“It was when we equalised and eventually scored our winning goal that they ran into the pitch and started destroying things. Thank God the pictures are there as evidence,” former Super Eagles midfielder Udi, who dumped Osun United for Sunshine earlier in the year, was quoted by SCORENigeria as saying on Wednesday.
“We didn’t even have many fans. Our uniformed fans were just 15, while their fans came in 25 buses.
“It was the Ijebu fans who mobilised their own people too and destroyed their (Osun United) buses because they discovered that they had destroyed some facilities at the stadium (Dipo Dina Stadium), that is just the truth of the matter.”