FIFA World Cup: Morocco protest to FIFA over refereeing in semifinal against France

Rabat (Morocco), Dec 16 (IANS) The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has protested to FIFA over the performance of the Mexican referee, Cesar Arturo Ramos Palazuelos, during Wednesday's World Cup semifinal against France.The FRMF said that Palazuelos deprived the Moroccan team of two obvious penalties, expressing at the same time its astonishment that the VAR room failed to alert him.The federation will spare no effort to defend the rights of its national team, it said in a statement on Thursday.It also urged FIFA to take fair measures against the arbitral injustice practised against the Moroccan team in its World Cup semifinal match against defending champions France, news agency Xinhua reported.Morocco lost 2-0, as Theo Hernandez scored in the fifth minute and Randal Kolo Muani in the 79th.The FRMF is unhappy that the referee didn't award a penalty in the first half to the Atlas Lions when Theo Hernandez made contact with Sofiane Boufal in the area.Instead of awarding a spot-kick, Boufal got a yellow card.The FRMF was also unhappy about the referee's and VAR's silence when Selim Amallah was hauled down as he awaited the delivery of a set-piece.France play Argentina in Sunday's World Cup final, and Morocco take on Croatia in Saturday's third-place play-off.
--IANSbsk

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