* Morocco had never beaten the Indomitable Lions at AfCON in their previous three meetings — and this marked just their third victory over Cameroon in 13 encounters across all competitions
* Senegal’s Iliman Ndiaye marked his first start with his first goal at the AfCON to send the Lions of Teranga to their semifinals
* Morocco date today’s winners between Algeria and Nigeria (18h00) as Senegal is set for Egypt/Côte d’Ivoire (21h00)
Maravi Express
Hosts Morocco roared past Cameroon with a convincing 2-0 win over Cameroon last night while Senegal Mali 1-0 for the two to book a place in the Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) 2025 semifinals where the Atlas Lions await for winners of today’s quarterfinal match between Algeria and Nigeria (18h00) as the Lions of Teranga are set for Egypt/Côte d’Ivoire (21h00).
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Goals in either half from Brahim Díaz and Ismail Saibari sealed a memorable triumph for the Atlas Lions in front of a raucous, sold-out Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
Coming into the quarter-final under pressure following an unconvincing Round of 16 win over Tanzania, the hosts responded in emphatic fashion. Roared on by a deafening home crowd, Morocco delivered a performance brimming with authority, intensity and belief.
The victory carried extra significance. Not only was it a vital boost in confidence, it also ended a long-standing hoodoo against Cameroon as Morocco had never beaten the Indomitable Lions at AfCON in their previous three meetings — and this marked just their third victory over Cameroon in 13 encounters across all competitions.
From the opening whistle, the hosts set the tone. Morocco pressed high, dominated possession and pinned Cameroon deep inside their own half. Their early dominance was eventually rewarded in the 26th minute, when tournament talisman Brahim Díaz struck for the fifth time.
The Real Madrid forward showed sharp instincts, deftly guiding the ball into the net with his thigh after Ayoub El Kaabi flicked on a corner delivered by skipper Achraf Hakimi. It was Morocco’s sixth corner inside the opening 25 minutes, a clear reflection of their relentless start.
The goal was historic for Díaz, who became just the second player in AfCON history — after Ghana’s Osei Kofi — to score in five consecutive matches at the tournament.
Buoyed by the breakthrough, Morocco continued to dictate the tempo and could have doubled their advantage before the interval. A swift counter-attack saw Abde Ezzalzouli release El Kaabi through on goal, but the striker could only find the side netting from close range.
Cameroon emerged from the break with renewed energy and greater attacking intent, but they found little joy against a disciplined and well-organised Moroccan backline. Their clearest opportunity came from a set-piece, when Georges-Kevin N’Koudou met a corner with a diving header, only to see his effort miss the target.
With a quarter of an hour left, Morocco delivered the decisive blow. From an Ezzalzouli free-kick, Nayef Aguerd’s clever touch found Saibari unmarked at the back post, and the midfielder calmly swept a low effort into the bottom corner to ignite wild celebrations in the stands.
At 2-0 up, with the stadium reverberating to the sound of belief and expectation, Morocco were in full control. Cameroon could not find a response, their hopes of reaching the semi-finals fading as the hosts closed out a famous night in Rabat with authority and composure.
Cameroon coach David Pagou conceded defeat, saying they leave Morocco with their heads held high: “We faced some difficulties, but we came back well in the second half. The second goal we conceded decided the match.
“Overall, I am satisfied with the performance. We have a young and new squad, and the players deserve credit for their efforts for the Cameroonian people.
“There is a bright future for our young players, many of whom are playing in continental competition for the first time. We have learned many lessons and leave the tournament with a lot of positives.”
At the Grand Stade de Tanger, Senegal edged 10-man Mali 1-0 in a tense encounter that had Mali captain, Yves Bissouma, being sent off in added time at the end of the first half.
In a fiercely contested West African derby, the 2021 AfCON winners showed composure and tactical discipline to overcome a resilient Malian side. Coach Pape Thiaw’s Senegal stood tall all evening as both teams battled intensely for control in midfield.
With clear chances at a premium, Senegal proved more decisive in the key moments as the breakthrough came in the 27th minute when Iliman Ndiaye capitalised on a goalkeeping error from Mali’s Djigui Diarra inside the penalty area.
Reacting quickest to the loose ball, the Senegal forward calmly finished from close range to score what proved to be the match-winning goal.
Mali’s task became significantly more difficult moments before the interval when Bissouma received a second yellow card in stoppage time, forcing the Eagles to play the entire second half with a numerical disadvantage.
Despite the setback, Mali reorganised defensively under Tom Saintfiet’s guidance and continued to search for a way back into the contest. After the restart, Senegal controlled possession and dictated the tempo, probing patiently for a second goal.
Mali defended with determination, and despite the defeat, goalkeeper Djigui Diarra was spectacular, making several key saves to keep the scoreline close and frustrating Senegal’s attacking efforts.
Senegal, however, managed the closing stages with maturity and control to secure their place in the last four of the competition, while Mali exited the tournament after a courageous and spirited quarter-final performance.
Mali coach Tom Saintfiet said: “It was an interesting and difficult match for us because we had to play large parts of the game with 10 men — but that doesn’t take away the fact that my players played gallantly and played very well.
“I am proud of them for the performance they put up not just in today’s match but throughout the competition. We have shown the world what we are made of. Together with my staff we will analyse our matches and see what we can do better in future.”
His counterpart Thiaw conceded that it was not an easy match, emphasising that they played against “a very talented Mali: “The Mali team has good qualities and they created many challenges for us. If we had been more clinical in front of goal we could have scored more goals but what is more important today is for us to have qualified for the semi-final.
“We will look into our errors and look to correct them for our future matches. We hope that we will be more efficient in front of goal and have more luck in future.”—Reporting by CAFonline; edited by Maravi Express
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