Super Eagles fullback Bright Osayi-Samuel has criticised the officiating of Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Ayi following Nigeria’s defeat to host Morocco in the semifinals of the AFCON tournament on Wednesday night.

Nigeria bowed out of the competition after losing 4-2 on penalties, with the semifinal ending goalless after regulation time.

The result ended the Super Eagles’ hopes of winning a fourth AFCON title, which would have served as consolation for their failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone after the match, the Birmingham City defender described the referee’s performance as disappointing, insisting that several wrong decisions affected the flow of the game.

“One thing I would say is that the referee was appalling. I am not saying that’s the reason we lost. He is making very wrong decisions and it is really painful that we have refs like that in big games like today. But, I wish Morocco all the best,” Osayi-Samuel said.

The fullback admitted the defeat was painful but praised Nigeria’s defensive unit for their resilience against the Moroccans.

He also revealed that Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle and officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance in Rabat despite the loss.

“Very painful to lose. I think we played very well. The back four was amazing. I am proud of the team. The manager came down and said he is proud of the team. The board members came down and said they are proud of the team,”  he noted.

“It is just really painful that we lost on penalties and penalties are just really about luck. It is a lottery and today we didn’t win that.”

The Super Eagles will now shift focus to the third-place playoff against Egypt, where they will battle for the bronze medal.

The encounter also offers an opportunity for Nigeria’s head coach, Eric Chelle to seek revenge against the Pharaohs, who defeated the Super Eagles in a preparatory match ahead of the tournament.

Adeyemi Adewale