Ghanaian Referee Daniel Laryea Opens Up on Morocco vs Nigeria AFCON Semi-Final Nerves

Ghanaian referee Daniel Laryea has spoken candidly about the pressure he felt before officiating the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final between Morocco and Nigeria.

Returning to Accra, Laryea addressed the scrutiny surrounding the match, which ended 0–0 after 120 minutes and was decided by a 4–2 penalty shootout in favour of Morocco. He firmly dismissed suggestions that his decisions favored the home side.

“This was my first AFCON semi-final, though I’ve been part of three tournaments before,” Laryea said. “Being selected for a game like this reflects the confidence coaches have in your abilities. Naturally, there’s some anxiety because of the stakes, but my focus remained on applying the rules fairly.”

Laryea emphasized that officiating at this level requires composure and strict adherence to the laws of the game, not favoritism. He described the match as a defining moment in his refereeing career and underscored the importance of fairness under pressure.