WAFCON final: Morocco plans to upturn Falcons victory, protests refereeing decisions in final loss to Nigeria

WAFCON final: Morocco plans to upturn Falcons victory, protests refereeing decisions in final loss to Nigeria

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has filed a formal complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), citing what it described as “refereeing injustices” during the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final, which saw Nigeria’s Super Falcons clinch a dramatic 3–2 victory.
According to Morocco World News, the FRMF’s grievance centres on a contentious moment in the 82nd minute of the match, when the score was tied at 2–2. The Moroccan camp argued that a clear penalty should have been awarded after the ball appeared to strike the arm of Nigerian defender Tosin Demehin inside the box. Although the centre referee initially pointed to the spot, a subsequent VAR review led her to overturn the decision—prompting outrage from the Moroccan bench and players.
The federation claims the reversal significantly altered the course of the tightly contested encounter, which ultimately ended in Nigeria’s favour, handing the Super Falcons a record-extending 10th WAFCON title.
Morocco’s head coach Jorge Vilda, who famously guided Spain to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup title, voiced his disappointment after the match, saying: “It was a small detail that cost us the game.” Though not usually outspoken on officiating matters, Vilda also acknowledged that fatigue took a toll on his players in the second half.
In response, Super Falcons coach Justine Madugu commended Morocco for their spirited first-half showing but emphasized that Nigeria’s tactical tweaks after the break proved decisive.
As CAF reviews Morocco’s petition, debate continues to swirl around the controversial moment—highlighting once again the growing scrutiny on refereeing standards in high-stakes continental competitions.
“The substitutions made a significant difference,” he stated. “Morocco have a bright future ahead.”

The final, held at Rabat’s Olympic Stadium, saw Morocco establish a commanding 2-0 lead in the first half.

However, the Super Falcons came out with renewed energy in the second half, as goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and substitute Jennifer Echegini completed a remarkable comeback.

The defeat saw the Atlas Lionesses become the first host nation to suffer back-to-back losses in WAFCON finals—an unwanted record on home soil.

For Nigeria, the result sealed a historic 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title, further cementing their dominance in African women’s football.

Meanwhile, in the third-place match, the Black Queens of Ghana edged out former champions Banyana Banyana of South Africa in a dramatic penalty shootout, following a 1-1 stalemate in regulation time.