Morocco file complaint to FIFA as fans call for rematch of France World Cup semi-final | Football | Sport

Morocco have reportedly filed a complaint to FIFA over the officials in their World Cup semi-final clash against France on Wednesday. The African side were beaten 2-0 on the night, with Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani on the score sheet for Les Bleus.

But despite the somewhat convincing scoreline, the Morocca squad left the Al Bayt Stadium feeling infuriated by the result. Walid Regragui’s side felt that they were robbed of the chance to make history by not being awarded two penalties.

Thus, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) have reportedly lodged an ‘official complaint’ to FIFA, according to FootMercato. They are thought to be unhappy with the standard of referee Cesar Ramos and believe that the Mexican overlooked several clear-cut decisions.

The FRMF are namely frustrated about ‘two penalties not whistled for Morocco in the first period’. Both decisions by Ramos raised eyebrows, with the African side feeling that they would have taken a 2-1 lead into the half-time break with another referee in charge.

One of Ramos’ most controversial decisions came when Sofiane Boufal was ‘mowed down’ inside the box by Hernandez, who appeared to lose his footing and opted to bring down the former Southampton star. But the referee did not see the challenge in the same light.

Ramos booked Boufal for diving, with VAR failing to intervene. The second point of controversy, in the eyes of Morocco, came shortly after that when midfielder Selim Amallah appeared to have been brought down inside the box when attempting to judge the flight of a cross. His appeals were waved away.

Fans have called for the match to be replayed, though it is largely felt that those pleas will be unsuccessful given that France will take on Argentina on Sunday afternoon. The FRMF did not directly call for that outcome from their complaint, their statement on Thursday certainly addressed all of their moments of frustration.

It read: “The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) strongly protested against the arbitration of the Morocco-France match officiated by Mr. Cesar Arturo Ramos. To this end, the FRMF sent a letter to the competent body in which it returns to the arbitration situations which deprived the Moroccan selection of two indisputable penalties in the opinion of several arbitration specialists. 

“The FRMF also expressed its great astonishment that the Video Assistance to Arbitration (VAR) system did not react to these arbitration situations. The FRMF recalls that it will spare no effort to defend and preserve the rights of the National Selections by advocating fairness in arbitration and by denouncing these arbitration decisions taken during this semi-final confrontation of the World Cup. of FIFA Qatar 2022.”