Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations were dashed on Wednesday night after a dramatic penalty shootout defeat to hosts Morocco.
The semi-final encounter, played in a tense and electrifying atmosphere, ended 0-0 after 90 minutes and remained goalless following extra time, forcing the contest to be decided from the penalty spot.
Both sides created chances during regulation time but failed to find the breakthrough. Morocco enjoyed spells of dominance in possession, with Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz, and Abde Ezzalzouli pushing forward and testing Nigeria’s defensive organisation. However, the Super Eagles stood firm and looked dangerous on the counter-attack through Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Alex Iwobi.
Goalkeepers on both ends were key to keeping the scoreline level. Stanley Nwabali produced several crucial saves for Nigeria, while Morocco’s Yassine Bono matched him with an assured performance, denying the Super Eagles on multiple occasions.
As the match wore on, both teams searched desperately for a winning goal. During extra time, Nigeria introduced fresh attacking options, including Paul Onuachu and Samuel Chukwueze, while Morocco responded by bringing on Youssef En-Nesyri and Eliesse Ben Seghir to increase their attacking threat.
Despite the renewed energy and intensity, neither side was able to break the deadlock after 120 minutes, setting the stage for a nerve-racking penalty shootout.
In the shootout, Morocco edged Nigeria 1-0, with Bono emerging as the hero. The Moroccan goalkeeper saved spot-kicks from Bruno Onyemaechi and Samuel Chukwueze, proving decisive in the outcome. Neil El Aynaoui calmly converted the winning penalty for the hosts.
Although Paul Onuachu and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru successfully converted their penalties for Nigeria, it was not enough to overturn Morocco’s advantage.
The defeat brings an end to Nigeria’s AFCON title quest at the semi-final stage, a bitter disappointment for the Super Eagles after a spirited performance against the tournament hosts.
Head coach Eric Chelle and his players will now turn their attention to the third-place play-off, where Nigeria will face Egypt on Saturday, as they look to conclude the tournament on a positive note.
Post a Comment