What next at AFCON? – How do Senegal beat Morocco?
After all the drama of today’s semi-finals, there two more matches left at this year’s AFCON.
The first of them doesn’t hold much weight as beaten sides Nigeria and Egypt meet for the third-place play-off on Saturday in Casablanca.
Then it is the main event, the Africa Cup of Nations final. Morocco will host Senegal in Rabat on Sunday, knowing that one more victory will stamp their status as national heroes.
Join us back here on The Athletic for live coverage of the final.
Regragui not entertaining favourable officiating debate
And Morocco manager Walid Regragui, when asked what he would say to those who said Morocco received some questionable refereeing decisions their way, answered firmly.
💬 “I’m not entering that debate, it doesn’t interest me. It’s normal that there are critics but we deserve our place in the final. We only occupy ourselves with matters on the pitch.
“People will make up their own minds. The match on Sunday is very important to our story. For me, that criticism is not deserved.”
Chelle congratulations Morocco for AFCON organisation
Despite the cruel defeat, Nigeria manager Eric Chelle was magnanimous in his praise of opposite Walid Regragui and the Moroccan tournament organisers.
💬 “Walid is a brother, an African. I said I was proud of him, what he does and continues to do. He has worked very hard and he deserved the victory.
“I congratulate Morocco for the tournament they have organised. I am proud of the other three (AFCON semi-final) coaches. I am very satisfied for Walid, and for Pape (Thiaw) as well.
“It’s good for Africa. It was a spectacular quality of game today — in terms of quality of the games, it’s been a very good AFCON.”
Chelle discusses his future as Nigeria manager
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Nigeria manager Eric Chelle said being knocked out on penalties again was ‘crazy’ and insisted he wanted to stay as coach when asked about his future.
💬 “I am the coach of Nigeria. Maybe in a few days the president (of the football federation) will tell me it’s finished, or you have to continue, I don’t know. I am proud of my players but I am disappointed.
“I will try to analyse this game. We were maybe the best team at this AFCON so we have to go out with pride. It’s not a question of my situation. AFCON is not finished, we have a game against Egypt, we have to stay focused and win that game.
“This job is very important to me, but I’m not the boss. I try to do my job. If no one tells me I have to stop, I am here. After AFCON I will talk for sure with a lot of people and we will take the decision together.”
How do Senegal beat Morocco?
The big question now turns to whether it will be Morocco or Senegal being engraved on the AFCON trophy.
Based on this evening, and their other performances at this tournament, it is incredibly hard to see past the hosts winning Sunday’s final.
Nigeria came into today’s semi-final as AFCON’s leading goalscorers, but were completely blunted by the Morocco defence. Compounded by a superb midfield and vibrant forwards, Walid Regragui’s men will be overwhelming favourites on Sunday.
To add to the drama, it will be the first time Morocco and Senegal have met at AFCON.
When the dust settles…
Given the disappointment of their World Cup qualifying elimination was still fresh in the memory, Nigeria should be proud of themselves for reaching the semi-final of this year’s AFCON.
But, as Jay mentioned earlier, it is another failure in a big game for this group of players. Mitigating factors include playing the hosts in front of a raucous home crowd and missing captain Wilfred Ndidi, but Nigeria still only managed two shots across 120 minutes.
Victor Osimhen ran himself into the ground but failed to make a telling difference while Ademola Lookman was peripheral throughout.
The Nigerians can be proud of their efforts to get here but, when the lights were brightest, they wilted under the pressure.
Morocco’s two stars soaking it in
Achraf Hakimi is Morocco captain and the current holder of the African Player of the Year award. But, of the two men in the above photo, Hakimi is not the favourite to win AFCON’s Golden Ball award.
Brahim Diaz’s brilliant goalscoring run at the tournament ended this evening and he was withdrawn before the penalty shootout, but he has still been their outstanding player.
If Morocco win on Sunday, it is hard to see anyone other than the Real Madrid forward winning the biggest individual prize. And he is well placed to take the Golden Boot with him, too.
Don’t overlook Nwabali
Yassine Bounou deserves all the (lavish) praise he is getting, but don’t overlook his goalkeeping counterpart Stanley Nwabali.
Nigeria’s keeper was superb tonight in all facets during the first 120 minutes. He made five saves across the course of the game and then kept out Hamza Igamane’s penalty in the shootout.
Nwabali was unlucky to be on the losing side this evening, as was Calvin Bassey in front of him.
Bounou celebrated by Moroccan media
Bounou, still wearing his full orange kit, couldn’t stop smiling and chuckling as he walked out into the press room. I don’t speak much Arabic, but I did catch ‘Alhamdulillah’, ‘Thank God’.
In one of the less neutral pressers I have attended, Moroccan journalists chanted him out with choruses of praise.
Morocco ending some long droughts
Morocco has won the Africa Cup of Nations just once in its history — 50 years ago, in 1976. The tournament hosts will go into Sunday’s final against Senegal as favourites to add a second trophy.
It will be the first time Morocco have played in the AFCON final since 2004, when they lost to against hosts Tunisia.
A long journey home for the Nigerian players
How on earth do you pick yourself back up after such a crushing defeat?
After a few brilliant performances on the way to this evening’s semi-final, there was a real belief among Nigeria fans that they could go all the way. But, against the tournament’s best opposition, they lost their spark.
A dogged defensive performance — led by the magnificent Calvin Bassey — got them a shot at a penalty shootout and Stanley Nwabali’s early save gave them a huge opportunity.
But a really poor Samuel Chukwueze penalty handed the momentum back to Morocco, and they never let their visitors back in.
The Nigerian players must now try to dust themselves down and return to their clubs for the second half of the season. They don’t even have a World Cup in the summer to look forward to…
Bounou delivers under pressure again
What is it about Yassine Bounou and international competitions?
Bounou became a worldwide sensation during Morocco’s run in the 2022 World Cup, then he followed that up with an expert shift for Al-Hilal in last year’s Club World Cup. He’s been stellar again this tournament, keyed by another heroic performance in a penalty shootout.
In that famous shootout against Spain in 2022, Bounou saved two of three penalties — tonight, he saved two of four.
The 34-year-old will be ready to do the same again on Sunday, and then at the 2026 World Cup.
Home cooking
Morocco is the first AFCON host nation to reach the final since… Ivory Coast in 2023. Yes, the host nation has now made it to the final in back-to-back AFCON tournaments.
Before the Ivory Coast, though, the last AFCON host nation to do so was Egypt all the way back in 2006.
On both of those occasions, the hosts won in the final…
Full-time stats zone
It is hard to argue that Morocco was not the more deserving team tonight, but still, a bitter pill to swallow for Nigeria, who just could not make anything happen at all in the final third tonight.
Nigeria 0-0 Morocco (2-4 on pens)
- Shots: 2 — 16
- Shots on target: 1 — 5
- xG: 0.05 — 0.65
- Possession: 51% – 49%
- Big chances: 0 — 1
- Blocked shots: 0 — 4
- Touches in opposition box: 11 — 21
- Duels won: 66 — 74
- Corners: 1 — 5
- Tackles: 26 — 24
- Fouls committed: 29 — 22
- Yellow cards: 2 — 0
Bassey was colossal for Nigeria
An utterly bitter pill to swallow for Calvin Bassey tonight. The Nigeria centre-back found out in the first half after a harsh yellow card that he would not be playing in the final if his side made it that far. Yet he did everything in his power to see his side through.
The Fulham man was a brick wall tonight amid constant Morocco pressure, particularly late in the second half. He had a superb 11 clearances in the effort.
His absence from Saturday’s third-place play-off is a real blow for Eric Chelle and Nigeria.
Nigeria completely held in check
Nigeria only mustered two shots from open play over 120 minutes tonight.
That is their lowest total in an AFCON match since Opta started recording such data.
Their last shot of the game came in the 51st minute from a long way outside the penalty area.
Another proud moment for teary Hakimi
As expected, Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi was superb tonight at right-back, as was his counterpart on the left side Noussair Mazraoui.
Both had prominent roles in the attack, keeping the pressure on Nigeria while also preventing their dangerous attackers from having much of a say at the other end
It was Hakimi’s well-struck penalty in the shootout that seemed to calm the nerves of both his team-mates and the home crowd, leaving the result in little doubt after Bounou denied Onyemaechi’s ensuing spot kick.
The PSG full-back wasn’t able to hold back the tears at full time, knowing he will lead his side out in an AFCON final on home soil on Sunday.