Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Laryea has refuted claims that he cheated Nigeria in their semifinal game against Morocco in teh just ended 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
Laryea has been attacked by fans of the Super Eagles following the defeat to the hosts of the tournament, with some sections of the fans accusing him of being biased in his decision-making.
However, the experienced referee rejected those claims, stressing that he remained professional throughout the encounter.
Speaking to the media following his arrival from Morocco, Laryea said he paid no attention to online banter or rivalry narratives surrounding the fixture.
“For me, I just do my refereeing. I just do football,” he said. “I don’t listen to what goes in and out of social media or whatever is happening there. We just apply the Laws of the Game.”
The Ghanaian official described the match as the biggest assignment of his refereeing career, revealing it was his first time officiating a semi-final at the Africa Cup of Nations.
“As a referee, when you are given such a stage, it is a big opportunity,” he noted. “When I was appointed for the game, I felt normal, but there was a bit of anxiety because it was my first AFCON semi-final.”
Laryea further acknowledged the difficulty of officiating matches at such an advanced stage of major tournaments, explaining that the stakes are significantly higher.
“Semi-final matches are always the toughest because teams are fighting for a place in the final,” he added. “Any team that reaches that stage has already achieved something significant.”
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