The WAFCON semi-final games yesterday in Morocco mirrored the yawning chasm between the various levels of football administration and the standard of the game in the continent.
While the games produced jaw-dropping sublime soccer displays from the sides, the officiating and administrative side of African football was abysmal.
The ineptitude of the host nation in crowd control and the elusiveness of the confederation of African Football (CAF) stalwarts to be malleable to manage the game and competitions in the continent effectively, were evident.
The semi-finals games-Zambia versus South Africa and hosts Morocco versus Nigeria-both ended with major refereeing controversies.
The Video Assistant referee (VAR) played a controversial role in deciding both encounters. In the first semi-final encounter, a controversial VAR decision awarded Bayana Bayana of South Africa what most believed was a soft last-minute penalty kick.
Linda Motlhalo gleefully dispatched the stoppage time booboo spot kick into the Zambian net paving a pathway for the South Africans into a highly contentious WAFCON 2022 final.
“Shame on you CAF. Thanks for using VAR to ruin women’s football in Africa. Against Zambia and as well against Nigeria. If this was a Nigerian, it would have been a Third Red Card. But VAR never called the referee. Hope CAF legalized the green lasers used on Super Falcons.” -Fan
A few hours later, at important moments during the semi-final play between host nation Morocco and Nigeria at the Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay-Abdellah yesterday, it appeared as if invincible hands were again at work; this time, to make sure that the hosts should progress at all costs.
Sure, the home support for the Moroccans was overwhelming, but Super Falcons appeared to successfully shut out the deafening noise of Moroccan supporters of the Atlas Lionesses from the stands by standing their ground.
The first half of the encounter ended in a stalemate. In the second stanza of the match, however, VAR seemed to have taken an ugly hold on the encounter, twice reversing the central referee’s yellow cards to Halimatu Ayinde (48th minute) and Rasheedat Ajibade (70th minute) for red cards.
The same VAR starkly ignored an earlier tackle by a Moroccan player that everyone agreed is a red card offence even failing to give the incident a review.
Just as the 48th minute sending off for Ayinde completely swung the momentum of the encounter in favour of the Moroccans from then on, such could have been the fate of the Nigerians had VAR been a wee bit considerate to them.
