Officiating Fears: Laryea’s History Raises Questions for Nigeria-Morocco AFCON Battle

All eyes are on Ghanaian referee Daniel Laryea as he prepares to officiate Wednesday’s blockbuster AFCON semi-final between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Morocco’s Atlas Lions.

Despite his veteran status, Laryea’s appointment at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium has reignited a debate over his recent performances in the ongoing tournament.

The scrutiny stems from the group stage, where his officiating in the Burkina Faso vs. Algeria match was met with fierce criticism.

Most notably, Burkina Faso’s military leader Bertrand Traoré accused Laryea of inconsistency regarding VAR usage and penalty awards—a history that adds an extra layer of tension to this 9:00 PM (WAT) kickoff.

“It’s a shame for African football; we have beautiful stadiums and wonderful fans. We lost 1-0 due to a penalty, while I believe one should have been awarded to me in the very first action of the match,” Traore said.

Mbeumo expressed his frustration, stating, “During the game, I felt like he touched me. After the match, they showed me the images again, it’s very blatant.”

Cameroon also felt aggrieved by the decision, with many suggesting Morocco received favourable treatment from the referee.

Laryea will take charge of the game, with South Africa’s Zakhele Siwela and Lesotho’s Souru Phatsoane as assistant referees.

Arsénio Maringule of Mozambique will be the third assistant referee, while Rwanda’s Samuel Uwikunda will be on the sideline as the fourth official.

In the video assistant referee booth, there will be Tom Abongile of South Africa, Haythem Guirat of Tunisia, and Stephen Yiembe of Kenya.

Persecondnews had reported that Nigeria defeated Algeria 2-0 in a high octane AFCON quarter-final last weekend.

The team had humiliated Mozambique in the second round.

The Super Eagles finished the group stage with an impeccable three wins from three games (nine points).

Nigeria currently leads the competition with 14 goals scored.

This tally sets a new milestone for the most goals ever scored by a Nigerian side in a single AFCON campaign.