Morocco’s Football Federation (FRMF) has lodged a formal complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over what it described as “refereeing injustices” during the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final against Nigeria’s Super Falcons.
According to Morocco World News, FRMF said the centre referee failed to award a “clear” penalty in the 82nd minute, with the score tied at 2-2.
Video footage showed a potential handball by Super Falcons defender Tosin Demehin but after a VAR check, the referee disallowed her initial call.
Morocco’s coaching staff and players expressed frustration immediately after the incident.
The federation claimed the decision altered the course of the match, which the Super Falcons went on to win 3-2.
Speaking after the match, Moroccan head coach Jorge Vilda, who led Spain to win the 2023 FIFA women’s World Cup said: “It was a small detail that cost us the game.”
Vilda, usually reserved on refereeing matters, added that fatigue played a key role in his side’s second-half collapse.
Also Read: WAFCON 2024: Six Super Eagles Stars Gift N24m To Super Falcons
Nigeria’s coach, Justine Madugu, credited Morocco for a dominant first half and said tactical adjustments at half-time swung the game in his side’s favour.
“The players who came off the bench made the difference,” he said. “Morocco have a promising future.”
Super Falcons Stage Dramatic Comeback Win
The final, held at Rabat’s Olympic Stadium, saw Morocco race to a 2-0 lead in the first half.
It was a different Super Falcons side that emerged for the second half as goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi and substitute Jennifer Echegini turned things around.
The Atlas Lionesses created an unwanted record as the first hosts to lose in back-to-back WAFCON finals.
The win means the Super Falcons clinched a record-extending 10th WAFCON title.
Black Queens of Ghana secured third place after beating former champions Banyana Banyana of South Africa on penalties after regulation time ended 1-1.
Africa’s Best To Converge In Morocco For AFCON 2025
Later this year Morocco will host the men’s Africa Cup of Nations.
It will be the second time Morocco will host the AFCON after first doing so in 1988 which was won by Cameroon, following a 1-0 win against Nigeria’s Super Eagles.
By James Agberebi
21 Comments
I can only say LOL.
That was a clear penalty from an honest point of view but nothing can be done because it’s too late now. I hope Morocco wins the next WAFCON because they deserve it due their quality. Ten is enough at this point..
That was never a penalty in a million years! If you don’t know the hand ball rule, then you better keep quite than displaying your ignorance in public, Mr Chima Samuel’s.
The biased centre referee gave the penalty to appease the Moroccans, but the VAR officials called her attention to have a good video view because they all knew it was not a penalty. She now saw that the ball hit the Nigerian lady’s upper hand as she was withdrawing her arm- not defending with the arm as was the case of the Moroccan lady, in Nigeria penalty kick, where she tried to block a cross-in by the Nigerian attacker.
God bless you I won’t be ignorant to be going back and forth with anyone ignorant fellow in chat room anymore. And I expect moderator to do his job by cleaning nuisance like you who has nothing positive to say.
Chima Chima Chima how many times did i call you…???
Aptly described.
The Nigerian female defender tried not to have contact by moving her arm backwards but due to the speed of the ball,contact was made nonetheless.Fortunately for Demehin her arm was already backwards before the contact.
Had the contact made before Demehin moved her arm backwards,it would have resulted to a clear penalty.
Meanwhile,result of the game may have ended differently without VAR.You can tell the refree was inclined to favouring the host team had VAR not called her to order on both occasions.Apparently,she’s working towards a Morocco’s victory.
Ten is enough bawo…na craze dey worry u…. if the 11th trophy present itself go stop dem from winning it make I see…like everybody is telling u.. it’s not a penalty…abi u just wan trend ni?
chima Eediot samiuel abi watin?
Yuh sure say yuh dey okay?? No wonder den name yur mumu Eediot lmao
Yuh be really mumu man, I sorry for dose wey dey mix tings wit yuh, among wuna, e go be like one eye men leading de blind mans dem lol
Goat! If yuh didnt knew about foosbal den jus sharaap! Kwasia, talking about it was a clear penalty, clear penalty ko, beer bellerity ne eediat!
Do you know the rules better than the VAR referees. There are instance when ball to hand is not a penalty. Google the rules.
From that point of view, the hand wasn’t moved away from the body in away to block the ball.
Technically, the lady was retrieving the hand away from the ball, before the ball went to hit the hand.
Compare to their own case where the hand was moving away from the body onto the ball direction.
Remember it was var referees who ask the ref to watch the video before she her self change the her own initial decision.
This wasn’t a case of ruby but just a case of being fair. We should not forget how we received two red cards against this same Morocco, each after the center referee was asked to watch the vedio replay by var referees. Nobody cry then so why are they now crying me river now.
You need to go and read the FIFA laws governing ‘handballs’ in the penalty box. The Nigerian defender:
(a). Did not try to make herself bigger nor did she intentionally try to use her right hand/arm to alter the path of the ball.
(b). Obviously, through watching the VAR replay multiple times, tried to move her arm out of the way (her arm was moving backwards and behind her PRIOR to the ball being struck, meaning there was no deliberate intention to deflect the ball with her arm.
(c). Her arm was in a ‘natural position’ at the time the ball was struck by the Moroccan.
VAR CONCLUSION: This means there was NO intention by the Nigerian defender to gain an advantage at the time the ball struck her arm.
Brilliant call by the ref! No penalty.
Thank you.
Whoever was leading the VAR team (I think a Rwandan Ref) was very keen-sighted. The ref had actually made a PK call until he called her attention for further investigation.
The VAR ref was also eagle-eyed in our own PK case. The ref had whistled for a Moroccan freekick, until the VAR ref called her again to argue there was a genuine PK for Nigeria. That was the turning point in the match.
In that incident, the player was facing her goal post or sideways, which clearly indicated she was under pressure and trying to make herself bigger with her hand to block the ball. Exactly what happened in the semis against SA. Both players completely blocked and stopped the ball from moving.
By contrast, Demehin’s back was against her post, which meant she was not under pressure and was simply trying to defend the ball naturally. She even got her hand out of the way, and it didn’t interfere with play as the ball still went past her and got to Ohale, who blocked and kicked the ball out.
I’ve seen so many similar incidents watching EPL, even against my team, Liverpool, and no one blinks an eye or makes a protest. The players and even fans in England understand these subtle nuances. The ref simply waves play on, and no one makes a fuss in post-match interviews.
Tanks you ojare, correct pipo wey sabi foosbal rule -pls told dat eediat chime daniel mek hin sharap!
It was a clear penalty I’m not here to argue. Another dude said because the players leg was not on the floor. Lol all sort of fake laws when 82mins replay is there for all to see. We don win there’s no need to drag this but truth must be said.
Chima, if you say the “truth must be told” then IT WAS NOT A PENALTY! Anyone who says it’s a penalty is just being emotional or lying. Go check the handball rule. When I was watching the VAR replay I realised that the penalty award would be cancelled. Demehin’s hand was moving behind her back when the ball struck it, also the hand was by her side not sticking out. It was very clear. THIS IS THE TRUTH, not the emotional BS your spewing.
All you’ve been saying is without any known proof or rule. Provide the portion of the IFAB rules that gives you that perception and assurance.
The penalty complaint from Morocco is a nonstarter.
The issue that CAF needs to urgently address is the pointing of laser lights in opponents faces by Moroccan fans. Stiff punitive measures need to be implemented. This nonsense needs to stop forthwith!
It took multiple stadium announcements for the offending fans to stop pointing the lasers.
A nation that is hosting the senior world cup in 2030 and multiple under 17 world cups.
Gross irresponsibility.
NFF should lodge a counter complaint with CAF and FIFA regarding the use of laser lights by Moroccan fans to intimidate opponents.
Pompido! Yuh be very correct guy I swear!
Gbam for efrytings yuh have say. Gbam I say!
Yuh har not like dat mumu chima eediat miceal. Nonsenes
Every body with their own opinions. 6 and 9 can be the same depending on our positions. To some people, it’s a clear penalty but to many, including me, considering the short distance between the Moroccan and Dimehin couple with the position of the hand before the ball struck, it’s not a penalty. The most important thing is we’ve won the tournament and we are all happy about it and guess what, this is just the beginning. Moroccans have had two different opportunities of winning the cup as a host but wasted it.