The Royal Morocco Football Federation (FRMF) is preparing to submit an official complaint to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following a thrilling, but now controversial, 3-2 defeat to Nigeria in the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final.
The game, played in Rabat, was marred by disputed officiating decisions that have sparked outrage across Morocco, particularly concerning the use of VAR.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons, chasing their 10th title, came from 2-0 down to seal a remarkable win which left Moroccan fans and officials stunned.
Despite racing into a 2-0 lead before halftime, the Atlas Lionesses saw their dreams of a maiden continental title slip away after a spirited second-half comeback by the Super Falcons.
Nigeria’s 10th WAFCON title was confirmed in dramatic fashion, but the fallout has ignited fury across Morocco, with players, officials, and fans voicing outrage over what they describe as “blatant officiating errors” and a “VAR scandal.”
The first point of controversy came in the 63rd minute, when Nigeria were awarded a penalty for a handball by Nouhaila Benzina.
The referee, Namibian official Antsino Twanyanyukwa, was advised by VAR to check the monitor after Nigeria’s appeals.
After replays revealed the ball struck Benzina’s arm and not her side, Twanyanyukwa changed her initial decision and awarded the Super Falcons a penalty.
Nigeria’s Esther Okoronkwo converted the spot kick, reducing the deficit to 2-1 and shifting momentum in favour of the Super Falcons.
Minutes later, Nigeria levelled the match at 2-2, triggering an explosive final 15 minutes.
But the biggest controversy of the night came in the 83rd minute when Moroccan striker Imane Saoud’s shot hit Nigerian defender Tosin Demehin’s arm inside the box.
Twanyanyukwa initially awarded Morocco a penalty, only to reverse her decision after a lengthy VAR review. The replays confirmed Demehin’s hand was in a natural position and close to her body, prompting VAR to advise the referee to overturn the call.
However, Moroccan head coach Jorge Vilda was left fuming by the decision to cancel the penalty. Speaking after the match, he didn’t mince his words.
We can’t understand the decision made by the referee,” Vilda told ESPN.
“She gave a penalty, but then the images we saw were not the same as those presented to the referee. We saw there was a hand, but the referee took it off us. That’s what determined that we weren’t able to celebrate this match – the penalty that was taken away from us.”
Vilda further added that the decision had a “psychological impact” on his players, suggesting that the reversal deflated the team at a crucial moment.
“It made it hard for us to come back. Football was hard towards our team.”
The fallout was immediate. Moroccan fans have been fuming in anger online and offline. On social media, images and slow-motion replays of the incident have circulated widely.
Several Moroccan players, including talismanic forward Ibtissam Jraïdi, reposted clips of the handball incident on their personal accounts in protest.
