- Super Eagles soar over Desert Foxes 2-0
- Egypt outlast Cote D’Ivoire 3-2
The semi-final line-up for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 was confirmed on Saturday night with the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Pharaohs of Egypt making the final cut, courtesy of impressive showing against their opponents.
Casualties on the night were Desert Foxes of Algeria and Defending Champions, Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire as Africa’s traditional heavyweights stood tall following a dramatic quarter-final weekend that delivered goals, tension and high drama in abundance.
Saturday night encounters saw Nigeria dispatching Algeria 2-0 in Marrakech in one of their best showing in the ongoing tournament.
It was Galatasaray’s forward Victor Osimhen who broke the deadlock after a tightly contested opening spell before Akor Adams sealed the win late on to confirm Nigeria’s return to the last four round with a mouthwatering confrontation against the host nation, Morocco’s Atlas Lions.
Putting behind the disturbing spotlight that has been on Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen due to their on-field theatrics in game against Mozambique, the Super Eagles displayed unity, and their compact play was something the Algerians found hard to deal with.
With failure to grab a World Cup finals ticket still fresh in everyone’s minds, Nigeria’s dream of conquering the continent again is alive, as they moved a step closer to the trophy.
In a game overshadowed by push and pull between the players, it was Nigeria that finally prevailed to rejoice and advance, with the North Africans heartbroken while exiting this year’s competition.
The other quarter-final showdown had seven-time champions, Egypt claiming the semi-final’s last berth after knocking out Cup holders, Côte d’Ivoire 3-2 in a thrilling clash on Saturday night.
The defeat effectively ended the Elephants’ reign as continental champions while setting up a mouthwatering semi-final against Senegal.
Earlier in the competition, Senegal had already booked their place with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Mali, Iliman Ndiaye’s first-half strike proving decisive in a tense West African derby.
The Teranga Lions showed their tournament maturity by controlling the contest and protecting their slender advantage to reach yet another AFCON semi-final.
Hosts Morocco also remain firmly on course for a first continental title in 50 years after a composed 2-0 victory over Cameroon in Rabat.
Goals from Brahim Diaz and Ismaël Saibari ensured the Atlas Lions continued their impressive home campaign, underlining both their attacking quality and defensive balance.
The results underline the fine margins at this stage of the tournament, where pedigree and composure have made the difference between the men and the boys
After an unpredictable group phase and a fiercely contested Round of 16, the quarter-finals marked the point where experience and history came in handy.
For now, the football world awaits the appetizing showdowns between Hosts Morocco who will play star-studded Nigeria and Teranga Lions of Senegal, set to do battle with their Egyptian counterparts, the Mohammed Salah-led Pharaohs.
Both semi-final matches will be played on Wednesday 14 January as AFCON 2025 moves closer to its climax ahead of the final slated for Rabat, the Moroccan capital on Sunday, 18th January 2026.
