Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Laryea has addressed the wave of criticism that followed his officiating during the AFCON 2025 semi-final between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and host nation Morocco, responding calmly to the backlash.
The tense encounter, played on Wednesday night at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, ended scoreless after regulation time and extra time, before Morocco advanced to the final with a 4–2 victory in the penalty shootout.
Following the match, Laryea became the centre of controversy, with many Nigerian supporters accusing the FIFA-badged official of favouring the hosts in several key decisions. One of the most disputed moments was the yellow card shown to defender Calvin Bassey, a caution that would have ruled the Fulham player out of the final had Nigeria progressed.
The criticism extended beyond fans, as Super Eagles players Akor Adams and Bright Osayi-Samuel voiced their frustration after the game. Osayi-Samuel described the referee’s performance as “appalling.”
Despite the uproar, Laryea appeared unfazed when asked to respond. Speaking briefly to Sporty TV, he brushed off the criticism, saying, “No, it’s okay. It’s football.”
Laryea, who has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2014 and Ghana’s sole officiating representative at AFCON 2025, was appointed to handle the high-profile semi-final after officiating the group-stage match between Algeria and Burkina Faso and serving as VAR during Morocco’s quarter-final victory over Cameroon.
The incident adds to a growing number of refereeing controversies at the tournament. Earlier, the Algerian Football Federation formally lodged complaints with CAF and FIFA following their round-of-16 elimination, citing what it described as questionable officiating decisions.