'It’s football' - Ghanaian referee breaks silence on AFCON 2025 semi-final backlash

Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Laryea has responded to the intense criticism surrounding his officiating of the AFCON 2025 semi-final clash between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and host nation Morocco, brushing off the backlash with a calm and measured reaction.

The highly charged encounter, played on Wednesday night at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, ended goalless after 90 minutes and extra time before Morocco progressed to the final with a 4–2 victory on penalties.

In the aftermath of the match, Laryea became the focal point of controversy, with many Nigerian fans accusing the FIFA-badged referee of favouring the hosts in key decisions.

One of the most debated incidents was a yellow card shown to defender Calvin Bassey, a booking that would have ruled the Fulham player out of the final had Nigeria advanced.

Criticism was not limited to supporters alone. Super Eagles players Akor Adams and Bright Osayi-Samuel openly expressed their displeasure following the match, with Osayi-Samuel describing Laryea’s performance as “appalling.”

Despite the mounting backlash, the experienced official appeared unfazed when asked about the situation.

Speaking briefly to Sporty TV, Laryea dismissed the criticism, saying: “No, it’s okay. It’s football.”

Laryea, a FIFA referee since 2014 and Ghana’s only officiating representative at AFCON 2025, had been appointed as the centre referee for the high-profile semi-final, having previously handled the group-stage clash between Algeria and Burkina Faso and served as VAR in Morocco’s quarter-final win over Cameroon.

The controversy adds to a growing list of officiating disputes involving teams at the tournament. Earlier in the competition, the Algerian Football Federation formally petitioned both CAF and FIFA after their round-of-16 exit, citing what they described as poor refereeing decisions.