Tournament hosts Morocco booked their place in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-finals with a composed 2-0 win over five-time champions Cameroon in Rabat.
Backed by a loud home crowd at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, the Atlas Lions set the tempo early, pressing high and delivering a series of dangerous balls into the penalty area. Cameroon initially held firm, with captain Nouhou Tolo organising the defence to repel the early pressure.
Morocco’s dominance told in the 26th minute. Ayoub El Kaabi rose to meet a cross and headed the ball into the path of Brahim Díaz, who guided his finish beyond Devis Epassy to open the scoring and register his fifth goal of the tournament.
The hosts pushed for a second before the break, with Abde Ezzalzouli and El Kaabi both going close, while Cameroon were relieved to trail by a single goal at half-time.
Cameroon saw more of the ball after the restart but struggled to turn possession into clear chances. Bryan Mbeumo and Christian Kofane were largely kept quiet, and substitute Georges-Kévin Nkoudou headed wide from close range as Morocco’s defence stayed disciplined.
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Morocco remained the sharper side in attack and sealed the result with 16 minutes remaining. Ezzalzouli’s cross found Ismael Saibari, who took a touch before driving a left-footed shot into the far corner to put the contest beyond doubt.
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The victory extends Morocco’s unbeaten run to 22 matches and sets up a semi-final meeting with either Nigeria or Algeria, as the hosts continue their bid for a first AFCON title on home soil
