Morocco faced South Africa, marked by a contentious offside call that cast a shadow over the game. Noussair Mazraoui found the net in the 33rd minute, seemingly putting Morocco in the lead, only for the referee to promptly disallow the goal, citing an offside infringement before the play could unfold completely.
Former Moroccan referee Mohamed Moujah weighed in on the controversy, asserting that the match official committed a glaring error by flagging offside, emphasizing that Mazraoui’s goal should have stood.
“The referee unfortunately deprived the Atlas Lions of a goal which would completely change the situation. It’s scandalous,” lamented Moujah, highlighting the potential impact of the decision on the course of the game.
Morocco’s captain, Romain Saiss, echoed the frustration, expressing his discontent with the officiating. “Even when we score goals, we have them unfairly refused by the refereeing body.
Because this one needs to be explained to me,” protested Saiss in a statement to Arryadia, underscoring the perceived injustice faced by the Atlas Lions.
The match concluded with Morocco’s elimination from CAN 2023 following a 2-0 defeat against South Africa at the Laurent Pokou stadium in San Pedro.
The absence of key players Sofiane Boufal and Hakim Ziyech due to injuries dealt a significant blow to the offensive capabilities of the national team, leading to a lack of viable solutions during the crucial encounter.
Looking ahead, South Africa advances to the quarter-finals, where they are set to face Cape Verde on Saturday at the Charles Konan Banny stadium in Yamoussoukro.
The controversial decision remains a focal point of discussion, underscoring the impact of refereeing decisions on the outcome of high-stakes football matches.
