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Bounou the hero for Morocco in Afcon semifinal shootout

football14 January 2026 23:02| © Backpage TXT
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Hosts Morocco kept their Africa Cup of Nations title dream alive after they beat Nigeria 4-2 on penalties following a 0-0 draw in the semifinals at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on Wednesday night.

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Youssef En-Nesyri scored the decisive spot-kick after Yassine Bounou had saved two of the Super Eagles' efforts from 12 yards out, and the Atlas Lions will now meet Senegal in the final on Sunday, January 18.

Walid Regragui's side looked more threatening in a tightly-contested first half and they almost got off to a dream start when Semi Ajayi gifted the ball to Ismael Saibari with a dreadful pass out of defence after just three minutes.

But the Hull City centre-back made a superb recovery to block the PSV Eindhoven midfielder's shot from range which was heading towards goal.

Brahim Diaz went close with a curling effort from the edge of the area that flashed narrowly wide of the left post on nine minutes, although it was Nigeria who hit the target first after Ademola Lookman found space outside the box and tested Bounou with a shot on the quarter-hour mark.

Saibari had another sniff at goal on 21 minutes after connecting with cross from a quickly-taken free-kick, but his header flew well over the crossbar. Diaz also missed the target after getting his head on the end of Achraf Hakimi's lofted pass in the 28th minute.

Hakimi then had Stanley Nwabali scrambling with a free-kick that landed on the roof of the net on 35 minutes and the Chippa United goalkeeper pulled off a fine save to deny Noussair Mazraoui from close range four minutes later after the Manchester United defender latched onto a pass inside the box.

PENALTY SHOOTOUT

An unmarked Raphael Onyedika crucially lost his footing as he lined up a shot from 20 yards out that sailed high over the goal on 51 minutes before the action quickly switched to the other end with Abde Ezzalzouli firing a effort across Nwabali that he tipped behind for a corner.

But the two teams pretty much cancelled each other out in the second half and chances were harder to come by, although Ayoub El Kaabi came close with a header that went just wide of the right post from a corner on 77 minutes.

Ezzalzouli nearly scored a late winner when he did well to control the ball inside the box before getting off a shot that was heading for the bottom right corner of the net, only for Nwabali to come to the Super Eagles' rescue with a diving save in the 83rd minute.

Extra time produced just three chances, with the first two coming via the boot of Hamza Igamane, who blazed wide from the edge of the box on 85 minutes before shooting tamely at Nwabali from further out in the 100th minute.

Eliesse Ben Seghir lacked composure at the death when he fired straight at a relieved Nwabali and penalties beckoned.

Igamane, Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi all failed to convert their spot-kicks and En-Nesyri stepped up to send Morocco through to the final.

Nigeria 0

Morocco 0

After extra time, Morocco won 4-2 on penalties

Nigeria: S. Nwabali, B. Osayi-Samuel, S. Ajayi, C. Bassey, B. Onyemaechi, F. Onyeka (S. Chukwueze 120+1'), R. Onyedika (M. Simon 83'), A. Iwobi, A. Lookman, V. Osimhen (P. Onuachu 118'), A. Adams (F. Dele-Bashiru 98').

Morocco: Y. Bounou, A. Hakimi, N. Aguerd, A. Masina, N. Mazraoui, N. El Aynaoui, B. Diaz (I. Akhomach 108'), B. El Khannouss (H. Igamane 84'), I. Saibari (E. Ben Seghir 118'), A. Ezzalzouli (Y. En-Nesyri 103'), A. El Kaabi (O. Targhalline 84').

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