The Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) has officially lodged a complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) regarding the refereeing decisions during their AFCON 2023 match against Mali, which ended in a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
The encounter was marked by contentious calls that left the Carthage Eagles dissatisfied, particularly contesting a penalty that went unawarded.
The heart of the appeal is based on the perceived shortcomings in the performance of referee Daniel Nii Laryea and the Video Assistant Referees (VAR). Houcine Jenayah, a member of the federal office of the Tunisian Football Federation, expressed his frustration on beIN Sports and confirmed the filing of an appeal.
“The penalty not awarded following a foul on Youssef Msakni in the area could have given another turn to the match, and we do not know why the director did not suggest any slow motion.
How could this have escaped the referee trio on the pitch and the two VAR referees?” questioned Jenayah.
In an official statement, the FTF emphasized that the appeal seeks necessary measures to rectify such errors in future matches, safeguarding the rights of the Tunisian team throughout the tournament.
While AFCON 2023 had been relatively smooth in terms of arbitration until now, CAF faces its first challenges related to refereeing decisions.
The African football community is now eagerly awaiting CAF’s response to these appeals.
Although the likelihood of success in such appeals is minimal, the FTF’s move appears strategic, aiming to exert pressure on upcoming matches, especially the crucial encounter against South Africa on Wednesday, pivotal for qualification into the round of 16.
