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CAN Champions League

Moroccan FA to take Wydad final case to FIFA and CAS

The Moroccan Football Federation announced it would launch an appeal with FIFA and CAS on behalf of Wydad Casablanca after Friday's debacle in Tunisia.

Paul Reidy
Paul Reidypaulreidy67
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Wyded soccer players refuse to continue playing after the Video assistant referee (VAR) system did not work and the match was interrupted during the 2nd leg of CAF champion league final 2019
FETHI BELAIDAFP

The Moroccan Football Federation announced on Saturday, that it will lodge an appeal on behalf of Wydad Casablanca after the events in Rades on Friday night which saw Tunisian side Esperance proclaimed winners of the African Champions League after problems with the VAR system blighted the second leg of the final.

"We have decided to launch an appeal with FIFA and CAS (The Court of Arbitration for Sport) concerning this match," said the Moroccan Federation president Fouzi Lekjaà.

After a first leg already marked by controversy, the second leg of the tie, played Friday night in Radès, turned into chaos.

The Video assistant referee (VAR) system is seen on field during the 2nd leg of CAF champion league final 2019 football match between Tunisia's Esperance sportive de Tunis and Morocco's Wydad Athletic Club at the Olympic stadium in Rades on May 31, 2019.
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The Video assistant referee (VAR) system is seen on field during the 2nd leg of CAF champion league final 2019 football match between Tunisia's Esperance sportive de Tunis and Morocco's Wydad Athletic Club at the Olympic stadium in Rades on May 31, 2019. FETHI BELAIDAFP

The tie was level at 1-1 when the teams kicked off in Radès and the home side took the lead in the 41st minute through Youcef Belaili but the restart was brief as chaos descended in the second half, leading the game to eventually be abandoned.

Walid El Karti headed home for Casablanca in the 59th minute, levelling the aggregate score at 2-2, but the referee wrongly ruled his effort out for offside.

Wydad demanded that the passage of play be taken to a VAR review, but due to technical issues the system was not working and therefore the initial decision could not be overturned, sparking protests from the visiting fans and Casablanca’s players and staff.

Soccer Football - African Champions League - Esperance Sportive v Wydad Casablanca, Olympique de Rades Stadium, Rades, Tunisia - June 1, 2019 Esperance's Moez ben Cherifia celebrates with the trophy after winning the CAF Champions League
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Soccer Football - African Champions League - Esperance Sportive v Wydad Casablanca, Olympique de Rades Stadium, Rades, Tunisia - June 1, 2019 Esperance's Moez ben Cherifia celebrates with the trophy after winning the CAF Champions LeagueZOUBEIR SOUISSIREUTERS

After an hour of uncertainty, match official Bakary Gassama decided to blow the full-time whistle, handing a 2-1 victory and the title to Espérance.

African governing body CAF announced on Saturday that: "following the events in Tunisia they would convene an emergency executive committee on June 4 to discuss issues connected to the match".