A major controversy overshadowed Nigeria’s 3–1 lead against Tunisia at the Africa Cup of Nations, with a late refereeing decision sparking widespread debate and outrage among fans.
The incident occurred after Tunisia were awarded a corner kick late in the match. Nigeria defender Bright Osayi-Samuel rose to clear the ball, successfully heading it away from danger. However, in the same motion, the ball made contact with his arm at close range. Despite protests from Nigerian players, the referee judged the action to be handball and pointed to the penalty spot.
The decision became even more contentious when VAR reviewed the incident and upheld the call, awarding Tunisia a penalty. Many observers felt the contact was accidental and unavoidable, given the proximity of the ball and Osayi-Samuel’s natural heading motion.
Nigerian fans and pundits were quick to label the decision a “robbery,” arguing that the defender had no realistic opportunity to avoid contact and that the handball rule was applied too harshly. Social media was flooded with criticism of both the on-field referee and VAR officials, with comparisons drawn to similar incidents that went unpunished earlier in the tournament.
Although Nigeria remained in control of the match result, the penalty decision reignited concerns about consistency in officiating at AFCON, particularly regarding handball interpretations and VAR intervention.
Once again, refereeing decisions — rather than footballing quality — became the dominant talking point, leaving many to question whether VAR is truly delivering clarity or simply deepening controversy at the tournament.
