Gift Orban To Pay €1,500 Fine In Belgium

Nigerian forward, Gift Orban has been slammed with a two-match ban after receiving a red card in the game between his team, KAA Gent and KAS Eupen.

Gift Orban received his first red card as a professional footballer on Sunday, September 24, as Gent came from behind to defeat Eupen 2-1 in a Belgian Pro League encounter at the Ghelamco Arene.

In the 45th minute of the game, the referee confirmed Orban’s dismissal following a VAR review for elbowing Rune Paeshuyse in the neck in an off-the-ball incident. That led to a straight red card for the youngster.

Due to the suspension, Gift Orban will miss the league match between the Buffalos and league champion Antwerp. He is likely to also pay 1,500 euros as a fine.

If the Super Eagles invitee had received a straight red for acting violently, he would have been suspended for multiple games, but since it was his first infraction, his punishment was more lenient.

A statement from the Belgian FA read, “The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office ruled that it involved ‘physical misconduct’, and more specifically a brutal push with high intensity’. For Orban, it is the first red card in 57 professional matches. According to the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office, that clean criminal record works to his advantage.

“A minimum suspension of two matches – being the lower limit as determined in the indicative table – is appropriate,” it said. Furthermore, a fine of 1,500 euros is requested.

The club also announced that they would consider any recommendations for a peaceful resolution and will decide on the sanction later today, September 26.

Recall that Orban missed the Super Eagles’ 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification game against So Tomé and Principe earlier this month due to fitness issues. He has suffered from an injury and troubles with his form so far this season. In his previous five appearances for Gent, he hasn’t scored a goal.

However, he has managed to score six goals in 11 games for the Belgian team across all competitions.