Morocco booked their place in the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after defeating Nigeria 4–2 on penalties in a tense semi-final encounter.
The closely fought contest ended goalless after 120 minutes, with the Atlas Lions holding their nerve in the ensuing shootout to eliminate the Super Eagles.
Nigeria briefly gained the upper hand during the penalties when goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali saved Morocco’s second attempt. However, the Super Eagles were unable to capitalise, converting only two of their spot-kicks, as the hosts recovered to seal victory.
During open play, Morocco largely dictated the tempo, enjoying the bulk of possession from the first half. Nigeria adopted a more cautious approach, focusing on defensive organisation and absorbing sustained pressure from the hosts.
With the win, Morocco advance to the AFCON 2025 final, where they will face Senegal. The Teranga Lions secured their place earlier on Saturday with a narrow 1–0 victory over Egypt in the first semi-final.
Super Eagles will face Pharaohs in the third place match on Saturday.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
