‘Never again’ - Frustrated Africans slam Rwandan twin sisters over controversial officiating in Ghana vs Algeria WAFCON clash

Tensions ran high after the dramatic quarter-final clash between Ghana and Algeria at the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, WAFCON2024, but the conversation wasn’t just about the thrilling penalty shootout.

Instead, attention turned sharply to the officiating by Rwandan twin sisters Aline and Alice Umutoni, sparking widespread outrage from fans across Africa.

Ghana secured a dramatic 4-2 win on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes, booking their spot in the semi-finals.

The match in Berkane was tightly contested, with both sides showing solid defensive performances.

Ghana thought they had broken the deadlock when Stella Nyamekye scored midway through the first half, but the goal was disallowed following a VAR offside decision, a moment that proved decisive and controversial.

Algeria also pushed forward with chances through Ghoutia Karchouni and Marine Dafeur. Ghana’s goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan became the hero in the shootout, saving penalties from Marine Dafeur and Inès Belloumou to clinch victory.

However, many fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice their frustration not with the players, but the officiating.

The twin referees, who had made history officiating at the tournament, became the focal point of criticism.

One frustrated fan wrote, “These referees shouldn't happen again in women’s football. The officiating is very bad — wrong calls, wrong decisions, too many mistakes in a single game for a quarter-final. Only the best should officiate at this stage.”

Another bluntly stated, “The referee is terrible. She shouldn’t officiate any knockout game in this competition ever.”

Others echoed similar sentiments: “Very poor officiating from these two,” and “Shit referee. She refereed Nigeria against Botswana. She’s not good enough, please.”

The backlash highlights how deeply passionate African fans are about the quality of officiating, especially in a competition that is gaining prominence and showcasing women’s football talent across the continent.

The CAF now faces increasing pressure to respond and ensure that the standards of refereeing meet the high stakes of the tournament’s latter stages.