Morocco and Senegal secured their places in the semi-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 on Friday after recording victories in their respective quarter-final matches.
Senegal advanced to the last four following a hard-fought 1–0 win over Mali in a tense West African derby played in Tangier.
Iliman Ndiaye scored the decisive goal in the 27th minute, and the Teranga Lions held firm defensively for the remainder of the match to seal a narrow but deserved victory.
Hosts Morocco also thrilled home supporters by progressing to the semi-finals and keeping their title hopes alive. The Atlas Lions recorded a convincing win in Rabat, scoring in both halves of the encounter.
Brahim Díaz opened the scoring in the 26th minute, reacting quickest to a recycled corner from Ayoub El Kaabi, while Ismaël Saibari doubled the lead in the 74th minute with a well-taken left-footed strike following a set-piece assisted by Nayef Aguerd.
The victory marked a significant moment for Walid Regragui’s side, as Morocco finally overcame their AFCON knockout struggles against Cameroon, doing so on home soil with a composed and disciplined performance. Cameroon, however, bowed out with pride after a determined showing.
Attention now turns to Saturday’s remaining quarter-final fixtures, which will determine the final two semi-finalists. Egypt are set to face defending champions Côte d’Ivoire, while Nigeria will clash with Algeria in another mouth-watering last-eight encounter.
As the tournament reaches its decisive stage, the quarter-finals continue to showcase the fine margins and high quality that define Africa’s premier football competition.