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Reasons Morocco Protests After Super Falcons Win WAFCON Final

Published by Tope Fakinlede on July 30th, 2025.

Reasons Morocco Protests After Super Falcons Win WAFCON Final

Nigeria’s Super Falcons may have celebrated a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Morocco in the WAFCON 2025 final, but off the field, controversy is escalating.

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has lodged an official protest with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), alleging that questionable refereeing decisions negatively impacted the outcome of the match, which took place at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, according to Eyes of Lagos.

The Disputed Moment

The key flashpoint came in the 82nd minute when Tosin Demehin of Nigeria was penalized for a handball inside the box. Initially, the referee awarded Morocco a penalty. However, following a VAR review, the call was reversed — a decision that drew strong objections from the Moroccan bench.

“It was a fine margin that changed everything,” said Jorge Vilda, Morocco’s head coach and former World Cup winner with Spain in 2023. While he acknowledged his players ran out of steam in the second half, Vilda maintained that the penalty controversy was a decisive moment.

Nigeria’s Comeback Charge

Despite trailing 2-0 early in the game, Nigeria mounted a spirited response, with goals from:

Esther Okoronkwo

Folashade Ijamilusi

Jennifer Echegini, who came off the bench to score the winner

Head coach Justine Madugu credited tactical shifts made at halftime and applauded his substitutes for turning the game around. “Our bench made the difference,” he said. “But credit to Morocco — they were fantastic in the first half.”

Morocco’s Disappointing Record

With this loss, Morocco becomes the first host country to lose back-to-back WAFCON finals. In its petition, the FRMF has called on CAF to review the officiating, arguing that the integrity of the tournament has been called into question.

In other WAFCON news, Ghana’s Black Queens secured third place after defeating South Africa’s Banyana Banyana on penalties, following a

1-1 draw in regulation time.