The Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has submitted a formal complaint to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), alleging “refereeing injustices” during the final match of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where Nigeria’s Super Falcons staged a dramatic 3-2 comeback to win their 10th title.
According to Morocco World News, the FRMF’s complaint centers on a controversial incident in the 82nd minute of the final, held at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat.
With the match level at 2-2, Moroccan players and coaching staff believed they had been awarded a penalty for a handball committed by Nigerian defender Tosin Demehin. Although the referee initially pointed to the spot, a subsequent Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review overturned the decision, prompting anger and disappointment from the Moroccan bench.
The Moroccan federation argues that the reversal had a decisive impact on the outcome, claiming it altered the momentum of the tightly contested match, that Nigeria capitalized on the shift, netting the winning goal in the dying minutes to complete a remarkable turnaround.
Morocco’s head coach Jorge Vilda, who previously led Spain to victory in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, expressed his frustration in the post-match press conference. “It was a small detail that cost us the game,” he lamented, also admitting that his team struggled with fatigue in the second half.
In contrast, Nigeria’s head coach Justine Madugu applauded Morocco’s strong start but credited his side’s second-half resurgence to tactical adjustments made during the interval. “The players who came off the bench made the difference,” he said. “Morocco have a promising future.”
The final began with Morocco in control, scoring twice in the first half to take a commanding 2-0 lead. But the Super Falcons responded with determination, with Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and substitute Jennifer Echegini each scoring to seal Nigeria’s comeback victory and secure a record-extending 10th WAFCON championship.
The result marked another heartbreak for the host nation, which has now lost two consecutive WAFCON finals on home soil, having been runners-up in 2022 as well.
Morocco will now shift focus to preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where it will host the continent’s premier men’s football tournament for the second time. The last time Morocco hosted AFCON was in 1988, when Cameroon defeated Nigeria 1-0 in the final.
