Nigerian football supporters have taken aim at Ghanaian referee Daniel Laryea, accusing him of questionable officiating during the Super Eagles’ semi-final defeat to Morocco on Wednesday night in Rabat.
Nigeria bowed out 4-2 on penalties after a tense goalless draw stretched into extra time at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, with Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi seeing their spot-kicks kept out by Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
Anger among fans was fuelled by what they described as uneven discipline.
Nigeria committed 29 fouls and received two yellow cards, while Morocco, despite conceding 19 fouls, finished the match without a single booking.
The long-standing rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana further heightened suspicions, with many supporters insisting Laryea’s nationality influenced his decisions during the contest.
At a Lagos viewing centre monitored by our correspondent, supporters openly protested several calls, particularly decisions that went against Victor Osimhen and other Nigerian attackers.
Some fans described the officiating as excessively tilted in favour of the hosts.
Social media platforms were also awash with criticism, as fans questioned how Morocco escaped punishment throughout the encounter.
Others pointed to specific moments, including a disputed corner-kick decision and the yellow card shown to defender Calvin Bassey, which rules him out of the third-place match.
While a section of fans admitted Morocco had the better of play, they still faulted the referee for what they called poor judgment and inconsistency.
The Confederation of African Football had appointed the 38-year-old Laryea for the high-profile semi-final, marking his second outing at the tournament after handling a group-stage match between Burkina Faso and Algeria.
Laryea, a FIFA-listed referee since 2014, was assisted by officials from South Africa, Lesotho and Mozambique, with South Africa’s Abongile Tom overseeing VAR duties.
He is a regular figure in the Ghana Premier League and has officiated across major CAF competitions.