In a dramatic start to Group D at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, DR Congo edged Benin 1-0 on December 23, but the match was overshadowed by a major refereeing controversy involving a VAR system failure. The incident centered on DR Congo captain Chancel Mbemba, whose apparent handball in the penalty area went unpunished due to technical issues with the Video Assistant Referee.
The Leopards secured victory through a goal that highlighted their resilience, but Benin players and fans were left furious after a second-half moment around the hour mark. Mbemba, the experienced Lille defender, appeared to handle the ball inside his own box while attempting to block a cross or shot. Benin appealed vehemently for a penalty, and referee Abongile Tom initially signaled for a VAR review by heading to the pitchside monitor.
However, in a shocking turn, the VAR system was reportedly unavailable for approximately 15 minutes during the second half, preventing any review. Tom was informed of the malfunction and waved play on without awarding the spot-kick. Social media erupted with clips and screenshots of the incident, labeling it a clear handball that could have changed the game's outcome.
This marked the tournament's first major officiating polemic, raising questions about the reliability of technology at AFCON venues. Reports suggest the outage caused multiple stoppages, frustrating both teams. Benin, under coach Gernot Rohr, dominated periods but failed to capitalize, extending their winless streak in AFCON finals to 15 matches (excluding shootouts).
DR Congo, semi-finalists in 2023 and led by Sébastien Desabre, started strongly with their star-studded defense featuring Mbemba alongside Premier League talents like Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe. Mbemba, marking a milestone tournament appearance, escaped what many analysts called a "decisive" error.
Post-match, Benin expressed outrage, with supporters calling it a "robbery." DR Congo celebrated three points in a tough group also including Senegal and Botswana. The incident has sparked debates on CAF's VAR implementation, especially early in the competition hosted across multiple Moroccan stadiums.
No comments:
Post a Comment