The Instagram account of Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Laryea has been taken down following widespread criticism of his controversial officiating in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final between Nigeria and Morocco.
Observers noted that Daniel’s performance throughout the match was highly questionable. Despite numerous fouls committed by Morocco, no cards were issued, raising concerns about bias and fairness. During the live broadcast, a commentator even asked on air:
“Where’s the foul?”
A moment that highlighted the contentious nature of the officiating.
Nigeria defender Bright Osayi-Samuel was vocal about the referee’s performance in the mixed zone:
“The referee was appalling. I’m not saying that’s the reason why we lost, but he was making very, very wrong decisions and it’s really painful to see that we have referees like that in a game like today.”
Striker Akor Adams also expressed his frustration after the match, stating: “You need to ask the referee about that.”
Many analysts have described Laryea’s performance as one of the worst in AFCON history, with some suggesting that such a display could jeopardize any future opportunities for him to officiate at a World Cup.
The controversial decisions in this semi-final have sparked debates about refereeing standards in African football and raised calls for greater accountability from CAF.