Super Eagles talisman Victor Osimhen expressed deep frustration with the officiating during Nigeria’s exit from the Africa Cup of Nations semifinals on Wednesday. The Galatasaray striker described the performance of Ghanaian referee Daniel Laryea as unacceptable after Morocco defeated Nigeria 4-2 in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw.
Speaking during a press conference at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Osimhen emphasized that the quality of the officiating severely impacted the flow of the high-stakes encounter.
While the forward criticized the technical aspects of the match, he remained gracious toward his opponents and teammates. He commended the Moroccan side for their victory and praised the resilience the Super Eagles displayed against one of the continent’s most formidable teams. Osimhen’s teammate, Bright Osayi-Samuel, echoed these sentiments, also directing sharp criticism toward Laryea for several contentious decisions throughout the 120 minutes of play.
Conversely, the referee found an ally in Patrick Yaw Boamah, a member of the Parliament of Ghana, who publicly lauded Laryea for his “outstanding officiating.” Boamah argued that Laryea represented his country with distinction on Africa’s biggest stage despite the backlash from Nigerian fans. Looking ahead, Osimhen intends to channel his frustration into the third-place play-off on Saturday, where he aims to lead the Super Eagles to a victory over Egypt to secure the bronze medal.
Osimhen stated: “The game was nothing to write home about in terms of the officiating; it was that bad. I have to say a very big congratulations to the Moroccans, and also I am proud of my team for the kind of fight we put up against a very good quality side.”
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