Hooliganism once again marred Ghanaian football, as violent scenes erupted at the Ndoum Stadium in Elmina after a Division One League match between Elmina Sharks and Swedru All Blacks on Sunday,February 16,2025.
The match ended with a 1-0 victory for Swedru All Blacks, but the focus quickly shifted from the result to the post-match chaos involving the match officials.
Referee Eso Doh Morrison was attacked by players and officials of Elmina Sharks over a contentious penalty decision that led to the away team’s victory.
The incident began when a collision occurred between two players in the Sharks’ penalty area.
Initially, the referee did not award a penalty. However, after medics attended to the players, Morrison pointed to the spot, triggering a penalty in favor of All Blacks.
The decision was met with strong protests from Elmina Sharks’ players, officials, and fans, who voiced their displeasure despite the penalty being converted.
At full-time, as referee Morrison made his way to the tunnel, three aggressive fans confronted him.
While security personnel, along with an unidentified individual, intervened to separate the referee from the crowd, a player from Elmina Sharks, Jay Asamoah Kola, was seen attempting to strike Morrison with a stone. Fortunately, the situation was diffused before any serious injury occurred.
In response to the rising violence, the Ghana Football Association recently implemented enhanced matchday security protocols, marking their first full enforcement during this weekend’s Division One League fixtures.
Despite these efforts, the attack on referee Morrison highlights the ongoing challenges in curbing hooliganism in Ghanaian football.
