SportsNews

Morocco Petitions CAF, Wants WAFCON Trophy Withdrawn From Nigeria and Transfered to Them Over Plumptre, Alozie, VAR

Published

8 months ago

July 30, 2025

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has launched a formal bid to overturn Nigeria’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) victory, lodging twin protests with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following their dramatic 3-2 loss in Sunday’s final.

The petitions challenge both the match officiating and the eligibility of two Nigerian stars, seeking to strip the Super Falcons of their record-extending 10th title.

In a fiery 19-page protest document, the FRMF condemned what it termed “systematic refereeing injustices” during the final in Rabat, where Nigeria rallied from 0-2 down to clinch the trophy. Central to Morocco’s grievance is the 82nd-minute reversal of a penalty initially awarded by referee Antsino Twanyanyukwa of Namibia. After a prolonged VAR review, Twanyanyukwa overturned her own decision despite Moroccan players and officials insisting a Nigerian defender handled the ball inside the box with scores level at 2-2.

“The VAR intervention was manipulated,” asserted Hassan Boutabssil, Director of Morocco’s Arryadia TV, alleging broadcast feeds showed clear handball evidence that was “withheld or obscured” from the referee. “This scandalous reversal denied us a decisive opportunity to reclaim the lead.”

Morocco also contested Nigeria’s 63rd-minute penalty – the catalyst for their comeback – arguing defender Nouhaila Benzina was penalized for an “inadvertent torso contact,” not a handball. The FRMF claims these “critical errors” distorted the match’s outcome.

Separately, Morocco revived a pre-final eligibility protest against defenders Ashleigh Plumptre and Michelle Alozie. Though FIFA cleared Plumptre in 2021 based on her Nigerian grandfather, the FRMF alleges “documentary irregularities” in both players’ nationality switches. The federation demands CAF retroactively disqualify Nigeria, asserting: “Victory achieved through ineligible athletes and compromised officiating cannot stand.”

CAF has acknowledged receipt of the protests and will convene its disciplinary committee for review. Nigeria’s Football Federation (NFF) dismissed the claims as “sour grapes,” stating, “Our title was earned squarely on the pitch.”

The controversy casts a shadow over Nigeria’s historic triumph as African football braces for a contentious legal battle over the continent’s most prestigious women’s trophy.

SportsNews

Chelsea mathematically out of title race after 3-0 defeat to Everton

Published

2 days ago

March 21, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Chelsea are now mathematically out of the Premier League title race.

This follows their 3-0 drubbing in the hands of Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday night.

Liam Rosenior’s men came into the match with 48 points, looking to keep pace with the teams in front of them.

However, Beto opened the scoring for the hosts in the first half, before adding a second after the break.

Chelsea barely threatened Everton and looked flat for most of the game, before Iliman Ndiaye added a third.

The result means the Blues cannot match the 70 points that league leaders Arsenal currently have with seven matches left.

Champions Liverpool are also on the verge of being mathematically ruled out, as they have 49 points.

SportsNews

Super Eagles player bounced me from Iheanacho’s room — Osimhen

Published

2 days ago

March 21, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Galatasaray striker, Victor Osimhen, has claimed that a senior member of the Super Eagles squad in 2017 sent him away from a hotel room during his first call-up to the national team.

According to the 27-year-old, it was Kelechi Iheanacho who intervened and welcomed him inside.

Osimhen revealed this while appearing on a Twitch livestream with comedian, Carter Efe in the early hours of Saturday.

He said: “When I came, I met Iheanacho. And I told him, ‘ah, see me, I’m gonna carry your boots.’ So he said I should come to his room so, he gave me his room number.

“So, as I got to his room — I don’t just want to mention the name — he had a roommate. So, as I knocked on the door, the roommate opened the door. So, he like bounced me out of the room.”

Osimhen refused to reveal the identity of the player who sent him away.

SportsNews

AFCON 2025; Drama as Senegal Reportedly Relocates Trophy To Military Base After CAF Decision (Video)

Published

3 days ago

March 20, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Drama as Senegal reportedly relocates AFCON trophy to military base after Confederation of African Football (CAF) viral decision.

‎It would be recalled that CAF stripped Senegal of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, awarding it to Morocco instead.

This decision came after Morocco appealed the result of the January 18 final, where Senegal won 1-0 in extra time.

‎ According to the CAF Appeal Board, Senegal had forfeited the match due to their players walking off the pitch in protest of a penalty awarded to Morocco, citing Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations.

The controversy surrounds the AFCON final, where Senegal’s players walked off the pitch in protest of a late penalty awarded to Morocco.

In a clip circulating on the microblogging platform, X (formerly Twitter), a young man with glasses is seen holding the AFCON trophy surrounded by military personnel.

The clip captures the military personnel’s excitement as they support the trophy, with an officer recording the moment.

In a recent development, Senegal has announced plans to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with some officials and players expressing outrage and disappointment.