Bright Osayi-Samuel has criticised the referee who took charge of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-final clash between Nigeria and Morocco, describing the officiating as “appalling”.
The encounter, overseen by Ghanaian referee Daniel Laryea, ended in heartbreak for the Super Eagles, who were beaten 4-2 on penalties on Wednesday.
Speaking with Victor Ademola TV after the match, the Nigerian right-back expressed his frustration, stating that the referee “kept making very wrong decisions” during the contest.
Osayi-Samuel was quick to stress, however, that Nigeria’s defeat should not be attributed solely to the officiating.
“One thing I would say is that the referee is appalling,” the 28-year-old said.
“Not saying that is the reason why we lost. But he kept making very wrong decisions. It is really painful to see that we have referees like that in a big game like today.”
Despite the disappointment, Osayi-Samuel commended Nigeria’s defensive effort and maintained that he remains proud of the team’s overall performance.
“It is very painful to lose. I think we played very well. The back four was amazing. I am proud of the team,” the defender said.
“The manager came down and said he is proud of the team. The board members came down to say they are proud of the team. It is just really painful that we lost on penalties, which is a lottery.”
Nigeria will now shift focus to the third-place playoff, where they are set to face Egypt on Saturday.