Burkina Faso captain Bertrand Traore has launched a scathing criticism of Ghanaian referee Daniel Laryea following his side’s 1-0 loss against Algeria in the ongoing 2025 AFCON.
He described the Daniel Laryea’s performance as damaging to African football after a controversial penalty decided the score.
Speaking to beIN Sports after the match, the experienced forward expressed frustration over a series of decisions, including a penalty awarded against his team and one he felt was denied to him early in the game.
“The refs are ruining things. It is a shame for African football; we have beautiful stadia and wonderful fans,” Traore said.
“We lost 1-0 due to a penalty, while I believe one should have been awarded to me in the very first action of the match.”
Traore was particularly unhappy with the referee’s handling of VAR, claiming Laryea refused to review footage despite being alerted.
“The referee didn’t even go to review the footage. He was informed via the headset, but he stuck to his decision, and in the end, he even pushed me. This is disappointing,” he added.
While accepting defeat as part of the game, Traore insisted poor officiating undermines the integrity of the competition.
“Losing on the pitch is fine, but the tournament should not be ruined like this,” he concluded.
Nonetheless, the match was milestone for Daniel Laryea who made his AFCON debut in the game after serving as fourth official and VAR referee in previous tournaments.
