Cameroon v Morocco: Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final – reside | Africa Cup of Nations 2025
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Key occasions
37 minutes: Ooh! Ezzalzouli cuts inside and curls in the direction of the close to publish – however can solely discover the facet netting. Half the group, maybe blinded by their telephone lights, suppose it’s gone in at first.
36 minutes: Followers go the time with a light-weight present utilizing their telephone torches, earlier than we get again beneath method …
35 minutes: Phrases are exchanged between the benches, substitutes of their lengthy puffer jackets pointing and jostling. The temperature dial is turned up one other notch or two.
34 minutes: Ezzalzouli goes down off the ball within the space, apparently clipped by Ebimbe. The referee ultimately stops play; might we see a VAR intervention? The contact appeared unintended, and there’s no additional motion taken.
32 minutes: One other Morocco assault breaks down when El Kaabi’s backheel outfoxes his personal teammates.
30 minutes: Saibari tries to guide a break downfield, however will get crowded out. In the meantime, replays present that Nouhou was simply enjoying Brahim onside for the Morocco opener.
28 minutes: An enormous launch of stress for the hosts, and Cameroon must come out and assault extra now. They’ve received a free kick on the left flank, nevertheless it’s cleared after a little bit of head tennis within the space.
27 minutes: That’s the Actual Madrid man’s fourth purpose of the match – each he and El Kaabi celebrated it, nevertheless it was Brahim who obtained the ultimate contact.
GOAL! Cameroon 0-1 Morocco (Brahim Diaz 26′)
Morocco take a deserved lead, El Kaabi’s downward header throughout purpose flicking off Brahim’s hip and into the far nook!
25 minutes: One other artful cross in from Ezzalzouli, cleared away once more by Nouhou. Morocco have one other nook …
23 minutes: Eric Junior Dina Ebimbe – at the moment on mortgage at Brest from Eintracht Frankfurt – replaces Tchamadeu on the correct facet of Cameroon’s midfield.
22 minutes: Oh no – Tchamadeu has gone down once more after that free kick, and is now being stretchered off. He appears devastated, and which will even be unhealthy information for his membership, Stoke Metropolis, if it proves to be a long-term damage.
20 minutes: Diaz with one other silky run at purpose, and he’s introduced down by Nouhou Tolo. Ezzalzouli swings the free kick in the direction of the far publish, the place Masina can’t maintain the ball in.
18 minutes: Excellent news for Cameroon: Tchamadeu, who appeared fairly distraught after that damage, is ready to proceed, and launches an extended throw into the field which Morocco cope with.
17 minutes: Brahim is penalised for a excessive boot, which strikes a stopping Avom on the top. No motion past a free kick, however there’s loads of spice on this recreation already.
16 minutes: The nook is cleared by Kotto however Cameroon can’t maintain on to the ball, and one other clumsy foul provides Hakimi the prospect to whip in a free kick.
14 minutes: The sport continues with Tchamadeu off the pitch, and Ezzalzouli curls a cross simply past El Kaabi. The hosts are racking up the half-chances right here.
12 minutes: Junior Tchamadeu stays down after a collision with Mazraoui, who unintentionally landed on the Cameroon wing-back’s knee. It appears a sore one, and Tchamadeu hides his face along with his shirt.
10 minutes: Reasonably than shoot or cross, Hakimi goes for the Argentina ‘98 possibility, making an attempt to slide a go into Brahim’s path – nevertheless it’s badly overhit, rolling out for a purpose kick. A waste, to be trustworthy.
9 minutes: Morocco come straight again at Cameroon, although, and the charging Hakimi is hacked down by Avom. Yellow card, and an opportunity for Hakimi to check the keeper from 25 yards …
8 minutes: Saibari whips a cross in in the direction of El Kaabi, which Tolo clears acrobatically away …
7 minutes: The nook is cleared and Cameroon threaten to interrupt in numbers – however Carlos Baleba is caught by Aguerd, displaying a good flip of tempo for a centre-back to rescue the scenario.
5 minutes: After a scrappy spell of play, hazard man Brahim Diaz will get on the ball and is tripped up by Danny Namaso Loader. Free kick to Morocco on the sting of the world, cleared behind by Kofane.
“No matter occurs in the present day, Cameroon have received Africa’s fashion warfare this time spherical.,” writes Justin Kavanagh. “Simply have a look at that shirt design! It’s a murals.”
2 minutes: Ezzalzouli hares after an extended ball down the left, however can’t maintain it in play.
1 min: The hosts, enjoying in all white, kick off to a raucous reception. El Khannouss appeals hopefully for a penalty after his early cross hits Kotto on the shoulder.
First half
The anthems ring out across the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, with your entire crowd belting out the Moroccan anthem. It’s go time!
It’s an eclectic reside line-up tonight. John Brewin is overlaying Wrexham v Nottingham Forest because the FA Cup third spherical swings into motion.
Going through Cameroon will carry again recollections of a grim chapter in Morocco’s Afcon historical past. Again in 1988, the hosts misplaced 1-0 to the Indomitable Lions within the semi-final – however the recreation was marred by Andre Kana-Biyik’s headbutt on Hassan Mouahid, which went unpunished by the referee.
Mouahid was taken to hospital with a damaged nostril, and false rumours of his dying reached the house dressing room. With Morocco gamers stricken and confused, Cyrille Makanaky struck a late winner and Cameroon went to the ultimate, the place they beat Nigeria 1-0.
“Moroccan followers undergo from actual psychological trauma due to that match,” former Cameroon coach Claude Le Roy advised Foot Africa. “Their largest worry at Afcon 2025 was drawing Cameroon once more.”
Some nice photographs from contained in the respective dressing rooms – Morocco are quiet, tense however centered, whereas Cameroon gamers are dancing and banging drums. A sign of the place the stress lies.
“Do you continue to see Morocco as favourites, in comparison with Nigeria or Ivory Coast?” asks Zach Neeley. “Or is {that a} holdover from pre-tournament prognostication?”
Sure, it’s extra the burden of being hosts and favourites – they haven’t been one of the best crew up to now within the match, though they’re actually adequate to go on and win all of it.
Group information
Cameroon (3-4-2-1): Epassy; Malone, Kotto, Tolo (c); Tchamadeu, Avom, Baleba, Nagida; Mbeumo, Namaso; Kofane.
Subs from: Medjo, Wooh, Nyamsi, Nkoudou, Onana, Magri, Bassogog, Soko, Ngameni, Kemen, Etta Eyong, Boyomos, Ngapandouetnbu, Ebimbe, Kamdem.
Morocco (4-3-3): Bounou; Hakimi (c), Aguerd, Masina, Mazraoui; El Khannous, El Aynaoui, Saibari; Ezzalzouli, El Kaabi, Brahim Díaz.
Subs from: Amrabat, Hamza, Rahimi, Mohamedi, Ben Seghir, Targhaline, Chibi, Chakkour, El Yamiq, En-Nesyri, Talbi, Harrar, Salah-Eddine, Ait Boudlal, Belammari.
Channel 4’s protection has expanded for the quarter-finals, with studio evaluation from Jay-Jay Okocha and Jon Obi Mikel. It’s nonetheless parked on E4 although, with A Place within the Solar at the moment displaying on the primary channel.
Full time: Mali 0-1 Senegal
Senegal maintain on to defeat 10-man Mali after a full of life second half the place each groups spurned probabilities to attain. Iliman Ndiaye obtained the one purpose within the first half, pouncing on a goalkeeping error earlier than Yves Bissouma was despatched off after selecting up two bookings. Subsequent up for Senegal: both Egypt or Côte d’Ivoire within the semi-finals.
Preamble
It’s crunch time on the Africa Cup of Nations, with the continent’s largest groups assembling in a traditionally heavyweight line-up. With Senegal closing on victory over Mali within the first quarter-final, the seven sides left will all be former champions, with 22 continental titles between them.
That leaves Morocco, the hosts and highest-ranked crew, beneath extreme stress to ship a primary title since 1976. The Atlas Lions can not shake off their standing as favourites, however the path to glory might scarcely be extra perilous. Get by way of in the present day’s battle, and both in-form Nigeria or neighbours Algeria are up subsequent.
Not that Morocco can afford to get forward of themselves. Cameroon would be the lowest-ranked facet left, having failed to achieve the 2026 World Cup, however they’re unbeaten and have a breakout star in striker Christian Kofane. If Morocco repeat their nervous show in opposition to Tanzania within the final 16, they’re more likely to be punished.
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