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Eding Sport accuse referee of Plateau United bias in CAF Champions League defeat

Disgruntled Cameroon fan Guy Alain Suffo/BackpagePix

Eding Sport were unfairly treated by the referee in their 3-0 CAF Champions League defeat by Plateau United on Saturday, according to a source at the club.

The reigning Cameroonian champions headed into the Preliminary Round clash against a backdrop of internal strife following the unexpected walk-out of coach Anicet Foe Mbarga.

Their maiden appearance in Africa's premier club competition became an occasion to forget for the Elite One surprise package as they were swatted away 3-0 by the NPFL champions, although Eding aren't happy about the way the referee handled the contest.

"It's football," an unnamed source at the club told KweséESPN. "When one team are playing with the referees, what do you expect?

"He broke up our attacking moves, whistled against everything," he added. "Even when there was the slightest contact, he blew."

"When it was them, he let it go," the source continued. "He denied us a goal, among so many things, but there you go."

Eding fell behind in the 20th minute when Ogene Elijah converted from close range after an initial penalty was saved.

Goals from Sunday Ingbede and Joshua Obaje killed off the contest inside the last five minutes, as Djomo Ndzana's resolve was finally undone.

"For the penalty, there was [a handball]," added our source, "but for their two other goals, I'd contest offside."

Eding had delivered an encouraging showing during the opening 20 minutes of the contest, and even after falling behind, they were firmly in the tie before capitulating late on.

Certainly, however, Obaje appeared to be offside as he strode beyond the Eding defence and planted a left-footed finish beyond Ndzana.