RABAT, Morocco
Hosts Morocco marched confidently into the semi-finals of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 after a commanding 2-0 victory over Cameroon under the Rabat lights on Friday night.
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.
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 in Rabat.
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.
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