Ghana’s Daniel Nii Laryea has been handed the whistle for the blockbuster AFCON semi final between Nigeria and Morocco. CAF confirmed the officiating teams on Tuesday for a match that’s already got tensions running high before a ball is even kicked.
The Super Eagles face the Atlas Lions at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on Wednesday night (9pm Nigerian time) for a place in the final. And the man in the middle will be under immense scrutiny, with Laryea set to be assisted by South Africa’s Zakhele Siwela and Lesotho’s Souru Phatsoane on the lines.
It’s a big call from CAF, putting a West African official in charge of a game involving regional giants Nigeria. Nii Laryea is experienced, mind. He’s a regular in the CAF Champions League and was at the last World Cup. But this is a different kind of pressure entirely.
The VAR booth will have a strong South African presence too, with Tom Abongile leading that team alongside Haythem Guirat of Tunisia and Kenya’s Stephen Yiembe. They’re likely to be busy, this fixture has all the ingredients for flashpoints, with so much at stake.
The broader significance here is about trust. After a tournament with its fair share of refereeing controversy, this appointment was always going to be key. Getting this call right is crucial for CAF, not just for the flow of the match, but for the perception of the competition itself. The winner gets a shot at the title; the referee just hopes he gets through it without becoming the main talking point.