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Yassine Bounou adored two penalties
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Morocco comedy their aboriginal AFCON final aback 2004
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They will face Senegal in Sunday’s final in Rabat
Morocco 0-0 Nigeria (Morocco 4-2 on penalties)
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou emerged the hero as hosts Morocco appointed their abode in the final of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the aboriginal time in 22 years, binding Nigeria 4-2 on penalties afterwards a aimless semi-final in Rabat on Wednesday night.
After 90 account and added time bootless to abstracted the sides, the challenge was acclimatized from the amends spot, breadth Bounou rose to the breach in advanced of a arranged Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah.
The Morocco goalkeeper accent his cachet as one of the continent’s finest, bearing absolute saves to abjure Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi and actuate the Atlas Lions one footfall afterpiece to continental glory.
Neil El Aynaoui and Paul Onuachu adapted the aperture penalties for their corresponding sides, afore Nigeria appeared to accretion the aerial duke aback Stanley Nwabali adored Hamza Igamane’s effort. That advantage, however, was apace asleep as Bounou apprehend Chukwueze’s bang to perfection, abating parity.
Eliesse Ben Seghir and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru kept their assumption in the abutting round, afore captain Achraf Hakimi stepped up confidently to put Morocco 3-2 advanced with the penultimate kick.
Bounou again delivered the defining moment of the shootout, addition out a able duke to repel Onyemaechi’s attempt.
With the amphitheater captivation its breath, Youssef En-Nesyri stepped up and calmly accomplished the absolute penalty, sending the Rabat army into raptures and sealing a celebrated night for the hosts.
The accomplishment came as a huge absolution of burden for Morocco, who accept agitated the weight of apprehension throughout the affray as hosts.
For Nigeria, hopes of extensive a additional afterwards AFCON final were dashed, and the Super Eagles will now about-face their absorption to the third-place play-off adjoin Egypt in Casablanca.
The semi-final itself was an absorbing, cautiously counterbalanced affair. Both teams showed absorbed from the outset, trading aboriginal opportunities in an accessible aboriginal half.
Brahim Diaz came abutting for Morocco with a crimper accomplishment that drifted almost wide, while Nwabali reacted acutely to abjure Ismail Saibari. At the added end, Ademola Lookman activated Bounou with a low drive from the bend of the area.
Nigeria’s amulet Victor Osimhen was deeply marshalled throughout, with Morocco’s defence acutely acquainted of the crisis any blooper in absorption could pose.
After the break, Morocco gradually took greater control, blame college up the pitch. Calvin Bassey was immense at the affection of Nigeria’s defence, application his backbone and accord to bear abiding burden from the hosts.
Morocco’s best adventitious of the additional bisected fell to Abde Ezzalzouli, whose crimper bang from central the box was expertly angry abroad by Nwabali.
As fatigue set in during added time and the stakes rose, attention prevailed, with both abandon opting for a safety-first approach. With no advance accessible afterwards 120 minutes, penalties were appropriate — and it was Bounou’s night to shine, as Morocco marched on to a long-awaited AFCON final.
Post-match reactions:
Yassine Bounou (Morocco) – TotalEnergies Man of the Match
“The atmosphere during the bout was wonderful. I acknowledge all the admirers who accurate us. The players did what was appropriate in a bout that was not accessible at all, and the adversary delivered a actual able performance. I would like to acknowledge the coach, Walid Regragui, who able us actual able-bodied for this semifinal match, and I additionally acknowledge all my teammates. I say acknowledge you to all Moroccans who accurate me. Our bodies adulation the players of the Moroccan civic team, and that gives us added action to accord their trust. We will focus on recovery, adapt for the final, and accord our admirers what they deserve.”
Eric Chelle – Head Drillmaster of Nigeria
“The bout was never easy, but the players showed a able brainy acknowledgment and fought for every ball. Losing on penalties is actual painful. It’s difficult because we formed adamantine throughout the absolute tournament, but that’s football. We charge abide working. We played this bout with aerial pressing, because if you don’t press, you leave spaces and the bearings becomes actual complicated. From a abstruse point of view, we were not at the aforementioned akin we showed in added matches. I don’t appetite to say the acumen was fatigue, but the accuracy is that we lacked movement and power.”
Walid Regragui – Head Drillmaster of Morocco
“I acknowledge anybody who accurate us. We accustomed actual affecting messages, and they had a big appulse on us. I acknowledge our players—we are actual appreciative of them—and I additionally acknowledge the Moroccan admirers who absolutely deserve this achievement. We suffered a lot, and extensive the Africa Cup of Nations final on home clay is a admirable gift. Now we charge anticipate about concrete accretion bound because we fabricated a huge effort. We played added time, the bout was difficult, and it captivated a lot of energy. I congratulate the Nigerian civic aggregation and drillmaster Eric Chelle for the abundant assignment they accept done, and I congratulate our players and admirers as well, because we all fought calm after exception.”
Mané the hero as Senegal bend Egypt
Sadio Mané has anchored Senegal’s admission to the final of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025, acknowledgment to his abandoned ambition denticulate aloof over ten account from the end of the semi-final affray adjoin Egypt on Wednesday, January 14, at the Grand Stade of Tangier.
As expected, the aboriginal bisected was tense. Egypt sat abysmal in a low block and waited for Senegal, who struggled to put calm their advancing moves. The alone absolute adventitious came in the 19th minute, aback Nicolas Jackson accursed a attempt from the bend of the box, but his accomplishment sailed over the crossbar, briefly appropriation the crowd.
A notable moment of the aboriginal bisected was the injury-forced avenue of Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly (23’). Earlier, he had accustomed a chicken agenda that will aphorism him out of the final. At halftime, Senegal and Egypt were still level.
Both apprenticeship staffs fabricated their aboriginal changes at the alpha of the additional half. Habib Diarra fabricated way for Lamine Camara for Senegal, while Trezeguet came on for Ahmed Fatouh for Egypt. On the pitch, the arrangement remained the same: Senegal bedeviled control and apprenticed forward, while Egypt connected to avert resolutely. Eventually, the Pharaohs paid the amount for a abrupt blooper in concentration. In the 78th minute, Sadio Mané addled from the bend of the amends area, agreement the brawl aloof central the column aloft El Shenawy. Senegal took the lead.
Egypt assuredly pushed advanced and larboard spaces at the back. From a canyon by Camara, Pape Gueye beatific his attempt aerial (82’). Egypt drillmaster Hossam Hassan threw on his actual advancing options backward in the game, but Senegal captivated firm. Egypt registered their aboriginal attempt on ambition in abeyance time (90 5’), calmly adored by Edouard Mendy.
With this attenuated but admired victory, the Lions of Teranga book their abode in the final of the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON 2025 — their third final in the aftermost four editions aback 2019. They will face either Nigeria or Morocco, who accommodated at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports.
Post-match reactions:
TotalEnergies Man of the Bout – Sadio Mane (Senegal)
“From the start, we did it together. We abhorred authoritative alone errors or committing accidental fouls. I anticipate we managed the bold able-bodied from alpha to accomplishment and, overall, we adapted to win. We accept to be honest about the final and I anticipate all the teams are amazing. We’ll see, and we’ll try to be accessible for the final, aloft all to accord our best.”
Egypt drillmaster Hossam Hassan:
“I am absolutely appreciative of my players who absolutely displayed acceptable appearance adjoin a boxy opponent. I accept aloof told my players that I am appreciative of them because they dedicated the Egyptian banderole and the Egyptian bodies with apt of courage. Senegal played actual able-bodied and I can’t booty annihilation abroad from them as they played able-bodied today”
Senegal drillmaster Pape Thiaw:
“We accept vey, actual blessed to accept accomplished the final. It was not accessible adjoin a acceptable ancillary like Egypt. My players were bent to win the bout and their assurance showed on the pitch. I pay accolade to Egypt as they played able-bodied and gave us a actual acceptable match. Now we will focus on advancing for the final and will administer ourselves to it.”