AFCON Fury: 'Incompetent Referee' Sparks Outcry Over Calvin Bassey's Controversial Yellow Card and Final Miss

Published 1 month ago• 1 minute read

Precious Eseaye

AFCON Fury: 'Incompetent Referee' Sparks Outcry Over Calvin Bassey's Controversial Yellow Card and Final Miss

The highly anticipated AFCON 2025 semi-final clash between Nigeria's Super Eagles and host nation Morocco was marred by controversial officiating from Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Ayi LARYEA, leading to significant fallout, most notably a critical yellow card for key Nigerian defender Calvin Bassey. Concerns about Laryea's ability to handle a match of such magnitude proved valid, as his performance was widely criticized for being biased towards the Moroccans, affecting Nigeria's performance despite no direct influence on the game's outcome.

The most egregious incident occurred in the 32nd or 33rd minute, when Bassey was controversially shown a yellow card for a foul on Brahim Diaz. Replays clearly indicated that it was the Real Madrid star who pulled Bassey's shirt, making the decision to penalize Bassey and then book him appear unjust. This 'gaffe' set the tone for an officiating display that many, including Nigerian fans, deemed a