The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Laryea to officiate the highly anticipated 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-final between Nigeria and Morocco.
CAF released the list of match officials for the encounter on Tuesday. The clash will take place at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
Laryea will be assisted by Zakhele Siwela of South Africa and Souru Phatsoane of Lesotho, while Arsénio Maringule of Mozambique has been named as the third assistant referee. Samuel Uwikunda of Rwanda will serve as the fourth official.
CAF also confirmed the officials for the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) duties, naming Tom Abongile (South Africa), Haythem Guirat (Tunisia), and Stephen Yiembe (Kenya). Lydia Abebe has been appointed as the referee assessor for the semi-final.
Super Eagles in Strong Form
Nigeria head into the last-four tie in impressive form after a 2–0 victory over Algeria in the quarter-finals, extending their winning streak at the tournament. The Super Eagles have scored 14 goals, the highest tally at the competition so far.
Morocco booked their place in the semi-finals with an equally convincing 2–0 win over Cameroon, setting up a mouth-watering encounter with the three-time African champions.
Iwobi Hails Team Unity
Ahead of the clash, Nigeria midfielder Alex Iwobi praised the team’s unity and growing maturity, expressing confidence in their quest to make history after finishing runners-up at the previous AFCON.
“At previous AFCONs, we have done really well. The team was strong, but we were young and still learning about each other,” the Fulham midfielder said.
“Right now, everybody is entering their prime and performing well for their clubs. You can see the joy and chemistry when we play for our country.
“It’s not just on the pitch, but also off it. There is a big unity — we are a big family. It starts from the coach; he has brought that brotherhood.”
The Nigeria–Morocco semi-final is expected to be one of the highlights of the tournament as both sides chase a place in the AFCON final.
