‘Let Brahim Diaz and Morocco through’ - Fury erupts over Ghanaian ref Laryea's calls against Nigeria

The beautiful game was momentarily eclipsed by a storm of controversy at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium tonight. 

While the AFCON 2025 semi-final between Nigeria and host Morocco was billed as a "final before the final," the post-match headlines are being dominated by the performance of Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Laryea.

The backlash has been swift and furious, with Nigerian supporters and Algerians flooding social media with video evidence of questionable calls that many claim systematically favoured the Atlas Lions.

 ‘Soft’ fouls given against the Super Eagles, the officiating have reignited a heated debate over whether match officials from regional rivals should be barred from such high-stakes fixtures.

The definitive boiling poin occurred in the 33rd minute. As tournament top-scorer Brahim Díaz drove toward the Nigerian box, he collided with Calvin Bassey. Referee Laryea immediately blew his whistle, awarding Morocco a free-kick and brandishing a yellow card for the Fulham defender.

The Ruling: The referee judged that Bassey "hauled down" Díaz to prevent a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

The Controversy: Replays suggest a far more nuanced story. Visuals appear to show Díaz pulling Bassey’s shirt first, causing the defender to lose his balance. Nigerian fans argue that Díaz "made a meal of it," and that the booking was "extremely harsh."

The Consequence: Because Bassey entered the match on a yellow card, he is now automatically suspended for the AFCON final should Nigeria advance. 

The prospect of facing a final without their most consistent center-back has added salt to the wound for Nigerian supporters

The sentiment across Nigerian digital spaces has shifted from sporting anxiety to outright outrage. Many fans pointed to the "optics" of appointing a Ghanaian referee, Nigeria’s fiercest football rival, for a match against the home nation.

“After watching the replay, it’s actually a good decision by the ref... the rules say you have to let Brahim Diaz and Morocco through on goal,” one fan joked sarcastically on X (formerly Twitter).

Others were more blunt:

“The rule is simple: ‘Anything for the host’,” wrote one user, echoing a sentiment that home-field advantage was being bolstered by the whistle.

“Morocco want to rig their way to the final but we're not going to let them,” another added, highlighting the resilient mood of the Super Eagles despite the officiating pressure.

The booking led to a heart-stopping moment for Nigeria when Achraf Hakimi stepped up for the resulting free-kick. His effort curled viciously over the wall, missing the top corner by mere inches while Stanley Nwabali was at full stretch.

Despite the "stop-start" nature of a game plagued by frequent whistles against them, Nigeria has remained structurally sound. At the half-time break, the score remains 0–0, but the narrative has shifted. For Nigeria, this is no longer just a match against Morocco, it is a battle against what they perceive as a daylight robbery.