“I couldn’t afford to let down the team,” Baba explains calm reaction to Missi incident

FCB Nyasa Big Bullets striker Babatunde Adepoju has spoken out about the controversial incident during Wednesday’s match against Ekhaya FC, where goalkeeper Elias Missi was seen grabbing his neck. The Nigerian forward stated that his decision not to retaliate stemmed from his commitment to the team’s success in the crucial game.

Chaos erupted in the first half of the match at Kamuzu Stadium when Missi was involved in violent conduct, appearing to grab Adepoju’s neck and kick him directly in front of referee Michael Mwambiyale.

“Prioritizing team’s interests”

Breaking his silence on the incident during the Club’s Media’s ‘Maule Talks,’ Adepoju admitted he was emotionally affected but quickly realized the game’s importance.

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“Regarding the incident that happened between me and goalkeeper [Elias Missi], the incident was out of football,” Adepoju explained. “I was emotionally angry, but still, I had to protect the team’s interests because, like I said, my interests come after the team’s interests.”

He emphasized the potential negative impact of a reaction on the team’s performance. “Even if I had reacted to the way he treated me, it would have been another issue. That game was very important for us, so I couldn’t afford to let down the team. I’m happy that I could manage to hold on to myself. I got the goal which helped the team to get the victory which was needed. So, those are the kinds of moments where senior players need to learn.”

Adepoju concluded, “As a senior player, I should not be the reason why the team couldn’t get the results, not to let down the players. I’m happy that I managed to hold up myself not to react.”

Meanwhile, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets are reportedly “seriously considering” lodging a formal complaint with the Super League of Malawi (Sulom) and the Referees Association regarding the contentious incident. The club has publicly expressed strong disapproval, arguing that their players are not receiving adequate protection from match officials.

The incident, which has been widely circulated through photos and video clips on social media, clearly depicts Ekhaya FC’s Elias Missi grabbing Bullets’ forward Babatunde Adepoju by the neck after an aerial challenge, with further footage reportedly showing Missi kicking the striker.

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