Former Black Stars midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has called on Ghana U20 attacker Jerry Afriyie to stay focused and avoid unnecessary confrontations with referees.
The ex-Ghana international, speaking on Sporty FM, expressed his concerns over Afriyie’s conduct in Ghana’s recent 1-0 victory against defending champions Senegal on Monday evening at the New Suez Stadium.
Agyemang-Badu, while acknowledging Afriyie’s talent and attacking threat, advised the young forward, who currently plays for Spanish lower division side CD Lugo, to channel his energy into his game and leave interactions with match officials to the team captain.
Jerry Afriyie needs to be focused. He shouldn’t be rushing on the referees. That’s the captain’s job. Otherwise, the referees will target him in the next games, Agyemang-Badu warned.
The former Udinese midfielder stressed that such behavior could attract unnecessary attention from match officials, potentially affecting both Afriyie’s performance and the team’s progress in the tournament.
Ghana, following their narrow win over Senegal, will take on the Central African Republic in their final Group C fixture on Thursday, May 8, 2025, with qualification to the knockout stage at stake.