The city of Rabat was turned into celebration on Friday night after the Atlas Lions of Morocco tamed the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon to breeze into the semi final of the 2025 AFCON.
Propelled by a vociferous crowd Morocco took the lead early in the game in the 27th minute and the second goal in the second half to complete a well deserved victory.
Walid Regragui’s tutored side strucked in the first half through
Brahim Díaz who reacted quickest to Ayoub El Kaabi’s flick-on from a corner and using his thigh to bundle the ball home from close range, his fifth goal in the tournament.
Cameroon tried to fight back but found the host impregnable and never recovered from that early goal, Morocco continued to dictate the tempo of the game, and frustrated the Cameroonians all through the game.
The back breaker came in the second half when another set piece nailed the Indomitable Lions. A free-kick caused chaos, the ball broke loose, and Ismael Saibari swept a low left-footed drive into the corner to seal it.
From there, it was pure game management. Calm at the back, sharp in midfield, and relentless in the press, Morocco allowed Cameroon barely a sniff, turning a heavyweight quarter-final into a statement win.
The atmosphere crackled, echoing the ferocity of North African support seen at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and it carried the Atlas Lions to familiar territory.
Having now matched their historic World Cup run to the semi-finals, Morocco stands just two wins away from ending a 49-year wait for Afcon glory.
