Fans slam CAF over ‘appalling’ refereeing in Nigeria’s heartbreaking AFCON semifinal exit to Morocco
CAF Confederation of African Football
Abdullateef Fowewe
Football fans unleashed a torrent of criticism against the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following Nigeria’s dramatic 2-4 penalty shootout loss to hosts Morocco in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semifinals at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on Wednesday.
The match ended goalless after 120 minutes of intense action, denting Nigeria’s previously unscathed tournament run.
Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Laryea drew the ire of supporters on social media, who accused him of biased decisions that marred the high-stakes clash.
Super Eagles right-back Bright Osayi-Samuel voiced the frustration in a post-match interview, praising his team’s effort while blasting the officiating.
“The referee was appalling. I am not saying that is the reason we lost, but he was making very wrong decisions,” Osayi-Samuel said.
He added, “It is painful to see that we have such referee in big games like today.”
Nigerian actor Pere Egbi amplified the outrage on X (formerly Twitter), calling for sweeping changes.
“AFCON should never have referees from Africa officiating its games again. Bring in European or American referees who would referee a game with fairness and zero prejudice,” Egbi posted.
He further alleged, “You can’t tell me that the refereeing in this AFCON has been fair! Referees now come in the pitch to play games as well now.”
Despite the defeat, Osayi-Samuel remained gracious, “I wish Morocco all the best.”
Nigeria now shifts focus to the third-place playoff, while fans demand better standards from CAF ahead of the final.
