Morocco challenges Referee call in WAFCON final

The Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has filed an official complaint to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), challenging refereeing errors in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final, where Nigeria’s Super Falcons pulled off a dramatic 3-2 comeback win

As reported by Morocco World News, the FRMF is contesting a key moment in the 82nd minute when Nigerian defender Tosin Demehin was flagged for a handball in the box. The referee initially awarded a penalty to Morocco, but the decision was overturned after a VAR review — a move that infuriated the Moroccan bench.

Morocco’s head coach Jorge Vilda, who guided Spain to a World Cup title in 2023, voiced his frustration after the match: “It was a small detail that cost us the game.” He also admitted that fatigue affected his players’ performance in the second half.

The final, held at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, saw the hosts take a commanding 2-0 lead before halftime. However, Nigeria roared back with second-half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and substitute Jennifer Echegini to claim their 10th WAFCON title — the most in the tournament’s history.

Super Falcons coach Justine Madugu credited halftime tactical adjustments for the turnaround. “The substitutions made a significant difference,” he noted, while also praising Morocco for their dominant first-half display.

The loss marks a painful milestone for Morocco, now the first host country to lose back-to-back WAFCON finals.

In the third-place match, Ghana’s Black Queens edged South Africa’s Banyana Banyana on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.

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