Will Nigeria’s Super Eagles pin down Morocco’s Atlas Lions? Will the Atlas Lions have Super Eagles for supper? So far, Morocco and Nigeria remain undefeated in the AFCON 2025 tournament.
However, Nigeria have won all five games. Morocco have won four and drawn one. They are meeting at the Africa Cup of Nations for the sixth time, with all five previous AFCON meetings producing a winner. This is their first meeting in 22 years at AFCON and the second time they face each other in an AFCON Semi-final.
Four of their previous five AFCON meetings were in the group stages: 1976 (two games), 2000, and 2004.
They first met at AFCON in 1976 in the group stages, with Morocco winning both matches 3-1 and 2-1 on their way to their first and only title.
This is their second meeting in the Semi-finals. Nigeria won the previous clash in 1980, triumphing 1-0 with Felix Owolabi scoring the winner in the 9th minute en route to their first title.
They met again in 2000 when Nigeria eliminated Morocco in their final Group D game with a 2-0 victory, with Finidi George and Julius Aghahowa scoring for the Super Eagles.
Their last AFCON meeting came in the group stages in 2004, when Morocco won 1-0 in their opening Group D match, Youssef Hadji scoring the only goal in the 77th minute.
Nigeria have faced the host or co-host nation on ten previous occasions, with their record against hosts reading P10 W3 D3 L4.
Nigeria are meeting AFCON hosts for a second tournament in a row, having faced Côte d’Ivoire in the group stages and the final in 2023, winning 1-0 in the group stage and losing 2-1 in the final.
Nigeria also defeated tournament hosts in 2002, winning the third-place match against Mali 1-0, and recorded a group-stage win over Senegal in 1992 by a 2-1 scoreline.
Nigeria have lost four times against the hosts: twice against Algeria in 1990 (group stage and final), as well as defeats to Ghana in the 2008 quarter-finals and Côte d’Ivoire in the 2023 final.
Nigeria have drawn three times against the hosts: in 1978 against Ghana, in 2002 against Mali in the group stages, and in 2004 against Tunisia in the semi-finals (1-1), before losing on penalties.
In the knockout rounds at AFCON, Nigeria have faced the hosts five times, winning only once against Mali in the 2002 third-place match. They have lost three times in open play against Algeria in the 1990 Final, Ghana in the 2008 quarter-finals and Côte d’Ivoire in the 2023 Final, and lost on penalties to Tunisia in 2004.
This is Nigeria’s third direct knockout match against a host team, having previously lost to Tunisia on penalties in the 2004 Semi-finals and to Ghana in the 2008 Quarter-finals.
Overall, this is their 12th meeting, with Morocco holding the upper hand with six wins to Nigeria’s three, with two draws.
Both draws ended 0-0 and came in qualification for the 1984 AFCON in the second round over two legs, with Nigeria progressing after winning a penalty shoot-out following a goalless aggregate.
Seven of the 11 goals scored in their previous five AFCON meetings have come in the second half.
Previous games’ stats
Overall games: Nigeria: P11, W3, D2, L6, GF8, GA14, GD-6. Morocco: P11, W6, D2, L3, GF14, GA8, GD+6.
AFCON–only games: Nigeria: P5, W2, D0, L3, GF5, GA6, GD-1. Morocco: P5, W3, D0, L2, GF6, GA5, GD+1.
Previous AFCON games
1976, Group A – first group stage, March 6, 1976: Morocco 3 (Faras 8’, Tazi 19’, Chebbak 81’) Nigeria 1 (Ojebode 81’)
1976, final round, March 11, 1976: Morocco 2 (Faras 82’, Guezzar 87’) Nigeria 1 (Mohammed 57’)
1980, semi-finals, March 19, 1980: Nigeria 1 (Owolabi 9’) Morocco 0
2000, Group D, February 3, 2000: Nigeria 2 (George 28’, Aghahowa 81’) Morocco 0
2004, Group D, January 27, 2004: Nigeria 0 Morocco 1 (Hadji 77’)
Nigeria’s key statistics
Defeated Algeria 2-0 in the Quarter-finals to reach the last four.
Have scored at least two goals in each of their five games, the first time they have done so at AFCON.
Have scored at least two goals in five matches at a single AFCON for only the second time, also doing so in 2000.
Along with Egypt in 1974 and 2010, they are the only second team to score at least two goals in each of their first five matches at AFCON.
Have scored 14 goals at the current finals, their highest tally at a single edition.
The last team to score 14 goals at an AFCON was Cameroon in 2021.
Have scored in their last 12 AFCON matches, last failing to score in the Round of 16 loss to Tunisia in 2021.
Have scored in five matches at the current finals, last scoring in six successive games in 2013.
Have won five successive AFCON matches for the first time.
Have won five matches at an AFCON for the second time, along with 2019.
Have never won six matches in a row or six matches at a single AFCON edition.
Have won both of their knockout matches at AFCON 2025; they last won three consecutive knockout matches in 2013.
The 2013 edition is the only time they have won three knockout matches in open play.
Will contest a record-extending 16th AFCON semi-final.
First appeared in an AFCON semi-final in 1978, losing 2-1 to Uganda.
Under the 24-team AFCON format, only Senegal (2019, 2021, 2025) and Nigeria (2019, 2023, 2025) have reached three Semi-finals.
Semi-final record reads P15 W8 L7, with the 1976 edition played over two group stages.
Of their eight semi-final wins, four have been in open play and four on penalties.
Of their seven eliminations, six were in open play and one on penalties.
No team has failed to progress from more AFCON Semi-finals than Nigeria.
Victory would see Nigeria reach a ninth AFCON Final and their second consecutive finals after 1988 and 1990.
Nigeria would draw level with Ghana on nine AFCON Final appearances. Since 2013, only Egypt, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria have reached multiple finals. Previous AFCON Final appearances: 1980, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1994, 2000, 2013 and 2023. Additionally, Nigeria would reach a final in North Africa for the fourth time. This is Nigeria’s fifth Semi-final appearance in their last six AFCON participations.
Nigeria lost in the semi-finals in 2010 and 2019, won in 2013 and 2023. They have missed the semi-finals only three times in 20 AFCON appearances (1982, 2008, 2021). Nigeria have contested eight penalty shoot-outs at AFCON, winning six. Five of those shoot-outs came in the semi-finals. The Super Eagles have the joint-most penalty shoot-out wins at AFCON (six), alongside Egypt, with losses in the 2000 final and 2004 semi-finals.
The Super Eagles have won their first three AFCON shoot-outs in 1984, 1988, and 1994 and have only played one AFCON final decided by penalties (2000). They have won their last three AFCON penalty shoot-outs, won four semi-finals in open play (1980, 1990, 2000, 2013) and lost four Semi-finals in open play (1978, 1992, 2002, 2019).
Victor Osimhen has four goals at the current tournament, the most by a Nigerian since Odion Ighalo in 2019. He has 10 AFCON goal involvements (five goals, five assists). Osimhen has scored three knockout goals, becoming the fifth Nigerian to do so at a single edition. Meanwhile, Nigeria have never lost an AFCON match in which Osimhen scored or assisted (W5, D2). The Super Eagles have a shot conversion rate of 21 per cent, the best at the tournament.
Morocco’s key statistics at AFCON
The Atlas Lions defeated Cameroon 1-0 to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2004. They reached the quarter-finals for the fifth time and won at that stage for only the second time. The Atlas Lions have taken their all-time AFCON goal tally to 96 and are appearing in the semi-finals for the fifth time (1980, 1986, 1988, 2004, 2025). They are hosts in the semi-finals for the second time, after 1988. Morocco have won only one of their previous three Semi-finals (2004). They lost successive semi-finals in 1986 and 1988.
They lost their first semi-final appearance in 1980 to hosts Nigeria.
All teams that previously eliminated Morocco in a semi-final went on to win the title. Victory would take the Atlas Lions to a second final and their first in over 21 years. All their semi-finals have been decided in open play, and all three semi-final losses were by 1-0 scorelines. Victory on Wednesday would see them become the second successive host nation to reach the final. They would become the 15th host nation to reach an AFCON Final.
The Moroccans have kept four clean sheets at the current finals, their most at a single edition. Yassine Bounou is the first Moroccan goalkeeper to keep four clean sheets at AFCON. They have won four matches at the current edition, their most since 2004. They have won their last three AFCON matches. Brahim Díaz has scored five goals, becoming the first player to do so in five matches since 2021. Díaz is one goal shy of Ahmed Faras’ AFCON record for Morocco. Morocco have scored five set-piece goals, more than any other team.
A win would see Morocco reach their third senior CAF final in under a year.
