Nigeria vs Morocco: Oshoala’s prediction comes to pass as disgraceful performance spoils AFCON 2025 semifinal

The Super Eagles’ AFCON 2025 journey ended in bitter fashion on Wednesday night as Asisat Oshoala’s pre-match warning proved eerily accurate.

Nigeria were knocked out by hosts Morocco on penalties after a controversial semifinal that left players and fans frustrated.

Before the semifinal, Super Falcons legend Asisat Oshoala had already sounded the alarm, hinting that Nigeria should expect a hostile and chaotic encounter.

“That semi final no go easy sha o cus that WAFCON still Dey pain Morocco. Them go do everything and anything but the world will be watching. People wey carry referee wey officiate our final go court,” she said, referencing Nigeria’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Morocco in the 2024 WAFCON final.

Unlike the Super Falcons, who famously silenced the Moroccan crowd on home soil, the Super Eagles could not repeat the feat.

After a tense and largely uneventful 0-0 draw across 120 minutes, the game was decided from the penalty spot. Misses from Bruno Onyemaechi and Samuel Chukwueze proved costly, as Youssef En-Nesyri converted the decisive kick to send Morocco into the final against Senegal, sealing a 4-2 shootout win.

Even before kickoff, concerns were raised when Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea was appointed to officiate such a high-stakes encounter, and events on the pitch only justified Nigerian fans’ fears.

Laryea appeared overwhelmed by the occasion, with a series of seemingly small, but crucial decisions consistently favouring the hosts.

His most glaring error came when he booked Calvin Bassey for a foul on Brahim Díaz, despite replays showing the Moroccan forward pulling the Nigerian defender’s shirt. The decision, which would have ruled Bassey out of the final, summed up an officiating display that disrupted the Super Eagles’ rhythm.

While home advantage often brings marginal calls, the overall standard of officiating was widely viewed as a disgrace, overshadowing what should have been a classic AFCON semifinal and ultimately spoiling Nigeria’s hopes of continental glory.