RABAT: Morocco might finally have found their straps at the Africa Cup of Nations, advancing to the semi-finals for the first time in 22 years after a 2-0 win over Cameroon on Friday and beginning to look like real prospects for a first title in 50 years.
Coach Walid Regragui labelled it one of their best performances since the last World Cup in Qatar where they became the first African country to reach the last four.
Morocco were the hot favourites going into the Cup of Nations but did not impress in their opening matches at the tournament, looking nervy and under the weight of expectation on them as the host country.
But in Friday’s quarter-final in Rabat they were bustling with intensity, aggressively pressing their opponent and continually winning possession and spending most of the match on the front foot, restricting Cameroon to only a handful of half chances.
“The first half was probably the best we’ve played since the World Cup,” the coach said. “We quickly created opportunities; a lot of corners and our opening goal came from a set piece. Our win was deserved even though things evened out a bit in the second half.”
Morocco were ahead as Ayoub El Kaabis header was brushed into the net off Brahim Diaz and they got a second goal in the 74th minute from Ismael Saibari.
It was a win furiously celebrated at the final whistle by the Morocco squad, showing their relief as they have felt a heavy burden of pressure since the tournament kicked off some three weeks ago.
Morocco have invested heavily in ensuring a showpiece tournament, putting their best foot forward ahead of their co-hosting of the 2030 World Cup with Portugal and Spain.
It is supposed to go hand in hand with success for their team, who have been top ranked in Africa for some four years but have a long history of failure at the Cup of Nations.
They have won the tournament only once previously, in 1976.
Regragui has consistently referred to Morocco’s poor Cup of Nations record and warned both his players and the home support to temper expectation and show humility.
“We need to just keep going one game at a time. We have not done anything yet,” he said after Friday’s win took them to a semi-final against Algeria or Nigeria.
Morocco are through to the semi-finals of a Cup of Nations for the first time since 2004, when they lost the final to Tunisia with Regragui in the team.
“It is historic. Moroccans have not seen their team in the semi-finals of an AFCON for 22 years,” the coach said. “They deserve it but we need to keep our feet on the ground and make it even more historic.”
Five-time champions Cameroon go home but their coach David Pagou — only appointed in the run-up to the competition — expressed pride in his players.
“We are satisfied with the boys because they have given a lot of emotions to the Cameroonian people and that was the aim,” he said.
“We wanted to go as far as possible but this is a team that is progressing and there are millions of Cameroonians who can be pleased. As a coach I will take away a lot of good things from this campaign.”
SENEGAL ADVANCE
Senegal, the second-best African team in the world rankings behind Morocco, were seen as the biggest threat to the hosts before the tournament and they are also through to the semis.
The 2022 champions beat 10-man Mali 1-0 in a West African derby in Tangiers thanks to a first-half goal from Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye.
The goal came on 27 minutes and followed a blunder by Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra, who allowed Krepin Diatta’s cross to slip under his body before Ndiaye struck the loose ball into the net.
Then, for the second successive knockout match, Mali were reduced to 10 men before half-time with captain Yves Bissouma shown a second yellow card for a foul on Idrissa Gana Gueye.
Diarra atoned for his first-half blunder by making several superb saves to keep Mali in the game, but one goal was enough for Senegal.
Seeking a third final appearance in four editions, the Lions of Teranga will face title-holders Ivory Coast or record seven-time winners Egypt in the semi-finals.
“It was not an easy match because we played against a very talented Mali team but we achieved our objective,” said Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw. “If we had been more clinical in front of goal we could have scored more goals but what is more important today is for us to have qualified for the semi-final.”
His Mali counterpart Tom Saintfiet paid tribute to his side. “It was a difficult match for us because we had to play large parts of the game with 10 men. But that doesn’t take away the fact that my players played gallantly and played very well,” he said.
Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2026