Ghanaian refereeing had once reached the very top, producing officials respected across Africa. But in 2018, the Anas Number 12 exposé plunged it into one of its darkest moments.
Several referees were implicated in corruption, many were banned, and the reputation of Ghanaian officials took a severe hit.
For a while, it seemed as if Ghana might lose its place among Africa’s elite referees, and fans feared the country’s officiating credibility was in jeopardy.
Amid that period of uncertainty, Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea quietly began to rebuild his name. Through consistent performances in the Ghana Premier League, careful handling of CAF Confederation Cup and Champions League matches, and a growing reputation for discipline and composure, Laryea climbed the ranks.
Watch highlights of Nigeria’s penalty shootout defeat to Morocco
His dedication gradually restored confidence, both in his abilities and in Ghanaian refereeing. CAF began entrusting him with increasingly high-profile matches, confident he could manage tension, control the flow of the game, and make decisions under pressure.
By the time AFCON 2025 arrived, Laryea had proven himself ready for the continent’s biggest stage. The semifinals presented the ultimate test: two high-stakes games on the same night, with immense pressure on players, coaches, and officials alike.
Senegal faced Egypt, while Morocco took on Nigeriaon Wednesday, January 14, 2026. But it was Laryea’s assignment: the Morocco vs Nigeria clash that would put his skill and composure under the spotlight.
Yet when the dust settled, one name was louder than all the rest: Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea.
The match, played in a packed Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah in Rabat, marked him as the first Ghanaian to handle an AFCON semifinal since George Lamptey in 1972.
From the opening whistle in Rabat, Laryea was up to the occasion. Over the full 120 minutes, he showed only two yellow cards: the first to Calvin Bassey in the 33rd minute and the second to Raphael Onyedika in the 77th minute.
Bassey’s early booking meant he would have been suspended for the final had Nigeria qualified, and that alone sparked immediate anger from Nigerian fans.
Despite the intensity of the game, Laryea’s restraint sent a clear message: he was in control. His composure ensured that tempers were kept in check and the match maintained its flow, even under immense pressure and the high stakes of a semifinal.
When Laryea blew the full-time whistle, Nigeria had lost 4-2 on penalties. Emotions boiled over. And in the heat of elimination, blame needed a home, so it landed on the man in the middle.
Social media erupted. Nigerian fans accused him of bias, dragged Ghana into it, and tried to turn rivalry into conspiracy. That reaction was predictable. A giant had fallen. And when giants fall, they always look for a referee.
But away from the noise, the truth was calmer.
Laryea did not hide. He did not flinch. He ran the game.
Ghana’s Referees Committee chairman George Seija later graded his performance 9/10, describing his decisions as spot-on, a rare public endorsement in the ruthless world of elite officiating.
What makes the moment even bigger is where Laryea came from.
Just months ago, he was refereeing in the Ghana Premier League. At this AFCON, he started quietly with Burkina Faso vs Algeria in the group stage.
Then CAF handed him one of the tournament’s two biggest games. And on a night when two semifinals were played, it was Laryea’s match that became the story of Africa.
Not because he failed, but because he was trusted with pressure few ever reach. In victory, players become heroes. In defeat, referees become villains.
But in Ghana, Laryea became something else that night: a symbol of how far Ghanaian officiating has come. And that, more than any argument online, is what will last.
FKA/EB
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