Okoronkwo Praises VAR After Penalty Reversal in WAFCON Final

Super Falcons forward Esther Okoronkwo lauded referee Antsino Twanyanyukwa for overturning a penalty decision via VAR during Nigeria’s dramatic 3–2 comeback victory over hosts Morocco in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat. One of the most pivotal moments came in the 79th minute, when the Namibian official awarded a penalty only to reverse her call after reviewing the pitchside monitor. “Thank God there’s VAR — she called a penalty against us, but she was able to go to the monitor and saw it wasn’t a penalty,” Okoronkwo explained at the post-match press conference.

Okoronkwo  named Player of the Match  also reflected on Nigeria’s mindset after going in trailing by two goals at half-time. She acknowledged Morocco’s strong start, stating: “The Morocco team is a very good team, they had the chemistry. They were able to find it first half, so props to them.” The Super Falcons regrouped, with Okoronkwo equalising from the penalty spot in the 64th minute and then supplying the assist for Florence Ijamilusi’s equaliser in the 71st. She also provided the final assist late in the contest for the match‑winner in the 88th minute.

Editorial

We welcome Esther Okoronkwo’s praise of VAR as a recognition that modern football demands fairness, clarity, and accountability. Her words affirm that referees can correct themselves when given the right tools—a credit to the tournament’s evolving standards.

We believe her reflection on Morocco’s initial dominance shows maturity. Acknowledging the opponent’s quality without deflecting from Nigeria’s resilience emphasises the Falcons’ professionalism and growth mentality.

We note that Okoronkwo’s leadership in adversity scoring from the spot and orchestrating the comeback underscores why she earned the Player of the Match award. Her effectiveness was not accidental it was earned through grit, precision, and game intelligence.

We feel Nigeria’s turnaround highlights the depth of belief within this squad. Trailing at half-time did not lead to panic it led to recalibrated strategy, renewed spirit, and collective conviction.

We maintain that this victory was not just about holding the trophy it was a statement of progress. In praising VAR and admitting tactical respect, Okoronkwo embodies the balance between emotion and composure that defines champions. Future generations should look to this performance as the benchmark.

Did You Know?

1. VAR was used decisively in two WAFCON matches in 2025, reflecting CAF’s commitment to technological integration for refereeing fairness.
2. Esther Okoronkwo scored Nigeria’s penalty goal in the 64th minute after the decision was reviewed and upheld via VAR.
3. Morocco led the final 2–0 at half-time, with goals from Ghizlane Chebbak and Sanaâ Mssoudy.
4. Okoronkwo contributed three total goal involvements in the final: one goal and two assists for Ijamilusi and Echegini.
5. The final victory gave Nigeria its record-extending 10th WAFCON title, cementing its status as Africa’s most successful women’s national team.