Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 journey came to a heartbreaking end on Wednesday night as the Super Eagles lost 4-2 on penalties to hosts Morocco following a tense 0-0 draw in Rabat.
In a semi-final short on clear chances, both sides cancelled each other out over 120 minutes before Morocco held their nerve in the shootout. However, much of the post-match discussion has centred not on the penalties, but on the performance of Ghanaian referee Daniel Laryea.
Several Nigerian players were visibly frustrated during the contest, and those feelings spilled over after the final whistle.
The fans react to the Super Eagles penalty shoot-out defeat ? pic.twitter.com/344VEsRRSr
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Osayi-Samuel: “The referee was appalling”
Bright Osayi-Samuel was one of Nigeria’s standout performers on the night, delivering a tireless defensive display against constant Moroccan pressure.
After the game, the Super Eagles defender admitted the pain of defeat, while also questioning the officiating.
“Painful, very painful, to obviously lose. I think we played very well, defence was… the back four was amazing,” Osayi-Samuel said.
“I’m proud of the team. The manager came down and said he’s proud of the team, the board members came down and said they’re proud of the team. It’s really painful that we lost on penalties. Penalties is all about luck, it’s a lottery, and today we didn’t win that.”
However, it was his comments on the referee that caught most attention.
“One thing I would say is that the referee was appalling. I’m not saying that’s the reason why we lost, but just making very, very wrong decisions,” he added.
“It’s really painful to see that we have refs like that in a big game like today. But I wish Morocco all the best.”
One of the most contentious moments saw Calvin Bassey booked for a challenge on Brahim Diaz, a decision that now rules the Fulham defender out of the third-place playoff.
Akor Adams: “Go and interview the referee”
Akor Adams cut a frustrated figure after the match, having struggled to influence the game against a disciplined Moroccan back line.
When approached by reporters in the mixed zone, the striker offered a blunt response that summed up the mood in the Nigerian camp.
“Go and interview the referee,” Adams snapped, before walking away.
During the match, Adams, along with teammates Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey, were seen repeatedly remonstrating with officials as decisions went against Nigeria.
Was the referee the reason Nigeria lost?
While the officiating left plenty to be desired, it would be unfair to pin Nigeria’s exit solely on the referee.
Morocco edged the game in terms of attacking threat, recording 16 attempts to Nigeria’s two and five shots on target to Nigeria’s one. Stanley Nwabali produced an excellent goalkeeping display to keep the Super Eagles in the contest, but Nigeria struggled to get their attacking stars involved.
In the shootout, Nigeria were undone by missed penalties, with Samuel Chukwueze’s effort well saved and Bruno Onyemaechi unfortunate to see his kick stopped.
Ultimately, penalties decided the contest, and Morocco advanced to their first AFCON final since 2004.
So proud of our boys no matter what ? pic.twitter.com/aU5dGsJUjf
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What’s next for the Super Eagles?
Despite the disappointment, Nigeria’s AFCON campaign has shown clear progress under Eric Chelle, with a free-flowing attack, improved balance and renewed belief after the pain of missing out on the 2026 World Cup.
The Super Eagles will now turn their attention to the third-place playoff against Egypt, where they will hope to finish the tournament on a positive note.
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