Nigeria vs Morocco: AFCON 2025 Semi-final Match Preview
Nigeria will continue their chase for a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title when they take on tournament hosts Morocco in the semi-finals of AFCON 2025. The match will be played on Wednesday, 14 January, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
The Super Eagles go into the last four with a perfect record at the tournament. They won all five of their matches so far, including a 2–0 victory over Algeria in the quarter-finals. Morocco, on the other hand, reached the semi-finals for the first time since 2004 after edging Cameroon 1–0 in a tight last-eight encounter.
Match Preview
Nigeria have enjoyed an impressive run at AFCON 2025, winning every game and scoring at least two goals in each match on their way to the semi-finals. Eric Chelle’s side are appearing in a record-extending 16th AFCON semi-final and are hoping to move one step closer to lifting the trophy for the first time since 2013.
Morocco are appearing in their fifth AFCON semi-final and their first in over 20 years. The Atlas Lions have built their campaign on a strong defence, keeping four clean sheets so far, while taking their chances at key moments in attack.
Wednesday’s match will be the 12th meeting between Nigeria and Morocco in all competitions. Morocco have the overall edge with six wins, but at the Africa Cup of Nations, the two teams have met five times, with each meeting producing a winner. This will be their first AFCON meeting in 22 years.
The two sides have met once before at the semi-final stage, when Nigeria won 1–0 in 1980 on their way to lifting the title. Nigeria will be aiming to maintain their perfect record at this year’s tournament, while Morocco will hope home support in Rabat can drive them to a first final since 2004.
Nigeria Team News
Nigeria will be without captain Wilfred Ndidi, who is suspended after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament. Raphael Onyedika is expected to step in, with Alex Iwobi and Frank Onyeka likely to continue in midfield.
Bright Osayi-Samuel is a doubt after being forced off late in the quarter-final win over Algeria, while Cyriel Dessers has withdrawn from the squad due to a thigh injury.
Victor Osimhen is expected to lead the attack once again after scoring four goals at the tournament. He is likely to be supported by Ademola Lookman and Akor Adams. In defence, Calvin Bassey has been outstanding and should continue alongside Semi Ajayi at centre-back.
Morocco Team News
Morocco have been boosted by the return of captain Achraf Hakimi, but midfielder Azzedine Ounahi remains sidelined with a calf injury. Defender Romain Saiss is also unavailable, meaning coach Walid Regragui is expected to stick with his current defensive setup.
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou is set to start again after keeping four clean sheets so far. In attack, Brahim Diaz has been Morocco’s standout performer with five goals in five matches, while Ayoub El Kaabi remains an option despite a quieter run in recent games.
Possible Line-ups
Nigeria:
Nwabali; Osayi-Samuel, Ajayi, Bassey, Onyemaechi; Onyeka, Onyedika, Iwobi; Lookman, Adams, Osimhen
Morocco:
Bounou; Hakimi, Aguerd, Masina, Mazraoui; El Khannouss, El Aynaoui, Saibari; Diaz, Ezzalzouli, El Kaabi
Nigeria’s strong scoring form and experience at this stage of the competition could prove vital, but Morocco’s solid defence and home support are expected to make it a closely fought contest.
Prediction: Nigeria 2–1 Morocco
