Nigeria 0-0 Morocco (2-4 Pens) Highlights, AFCON 2025 Semi-Final: Atlas Lions Clinch Shootouts To Seal Finals Place

Hello, football fans! This is the start of our live blog covering the second AFCON 2025 semi-final between Nigeria and Morocco. The winner of this match will face the victor of the Senegal vs Egypt match. Stay tuned for pre-match updates and line-ups as they are released.

• Fixture: Nigeria vs Morocco

• Series: Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 semi-final

• Venue: Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat

• Date: Wednesday, January 14, 2026

• Time: 1:30 AM IST (January 15)

The AFCON 2025 semi-final matches, including Nigeria vs Morocco, will be live-streamed in India on the FanCode app and website. There will be no television broadcast of the match in the country. Read our detailed NGA vs MAR live-streaming guide.

Nigeria's Victor Osimhen is the joint second-highest top scorer of AFCON 2025 with four goals (along with Mohamed Salah). Coincidentally, the one with most goals is Morocco's Brahim Diaz.

Osimhen has a chance to overtake Diaz in the goalscoring charts. Interestingly, he is just two goals behind Rashidi Yekin's all-time record of 37 goals. A hat-trick tonight, and the Galatasaray striker will become the highest goalscorer in Nigeria's history.

Starting XI: Stanley Nwabali; Bright Osayi-Samuel, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Bruno Onyemaechi; Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika, Alex Iwobi; Ademola Lookman; Victor Osimhen (c), Akor Adams.

Bench: Francis Uzoho (gk), Amar Obasogie (gk), Chidozie Awaziem, Zaidu Sanusi, Igoh Obdu, Usman Mohammed, Chidera Ejuke, Tochukwu Nnadi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Ebenzer Akinsanmiro, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukwueze, Salim Fago Lawal, Paul Onuachu.

Starting XI: Yassine Bounou; Achraf Hakimi (c), Nayef Augerd, Adam Masina, Noussair Mazraoui; Neil El Aynaoui; Brahim Diaz, Bilal El Khannouss, Ismael Saibari, Abdessamad Ezzalzouli; Ayoub El Kaabi.

Bench: Munir El Kajoui (gk), Mehdi Al Harrar (gk), Youssef Belammari, Anass Salah-Eddine, Jawad El Yamiq, Mohamed Chibi, Abdelhamid Ait Boundail, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Oussama Targhaline, Chemsdine Talbi, Ilias Akhomach, Sofyan Amrabat, Hamza Igamane, Soufiane Rahimi, Youssef En-Neysiri.

Referee Daniel Nii Laryea blows his whistle, and hosts Morocco get the second AFCON semi-final underway. The winner of tonight's match will face Senegal in the final, so stay tuned!

A bright start from the hosts, who have used their rapid forward line to press the Nigerian defence. It almost bears fruit too as Saibari makes a darting run into the box, but a crucial tackle from Ajayi prevents him from testing Nwabali.

Early warning signs from Brahim DIaz. The tournament's top scorer receives the ball on the right edge of the box, and takes on Onyemaechi to cut inside and have a shot with his left. It curled a lot, but missed the top corner by inches. Positive stuff from the hosts.

The first shot on target of the semi-final tie, and it comes from the Super Eagles. A goodswitch from the left finds Lookman, who sorts his feet out before letting fly with his right. It was hard and low and destined for the corner, but Bono went down quickly to parry the danger away.

Nigeria are enjoying more of the ball now, and Akor tries to expand the play down the right flank. He squares it back to Iwobi in midfield, but the Fulham man plays a bullet through ball that misses everyone goes for a throw near the corner flag.

A coming together between Diaz and Bassey near the Nigeria box, with the defender catching Diaz on the face. The referee opts to book Bassey amid protests from the Nigeria players, which means that he will miss the final if the Super Eagles progress.

Hakimi takes the resulting free-kick and has a terrific attempt on goal. It goes over the wall and curls viciously, missing the top corner by inches. Nwabali was at full stretch.

A brilliant save from Nwabali keeps the deadlock intact. A good one-two at the edge of the box allowed Saibari to shift the ball onto his left and let fly, but the Nigerian keeper gets down and gets a good pair of hands on it to keep the danger away.

The referee blows his whistle, and we go into the break with the deadlock yet to be broken. There have been half-chances for both sides, with Nwabali making a solid save against Saibari. A lot of positives overall for both sides, and a big second half awaits.

The players are out of the tunnel, and Nigeria get the second half underway. It's goalless after 45 minutes of football, and we are back with 45 minutes more of AFCON action, with everything left to play for. Stay tuned!

A grounded pass from Iwobi found the run of Lookman, who laid it off for Onyemaechi on the wings. The full-back floated in a cross that missed Osimhen, and then Onyedika has a wild shot from distance that flies far and wide.

End to end stuff in Rabat, as Saibari laid it off for Ezzalzouli, with the former Barcelona man trying to curl it in into the far corner. Nwabali shows excellent agility to dive to his left and palm it behind for a corner. Nigera are not happy, as they are complaining about a foul in the buildup.

Iwobi does well to feed a good pass to Osimhen, with the Super Eagles forward rarely getting any service till now. However, under pressure from the defence, it comes off Osimhen's heel and Bono clutches on.

The quality of the match has dropped a bit, with the constant fouls resulting in a stop-start feeling creeping.

15 minutes of regulation time left to play, and it's still goalless in Rabat. It has been a pretty entertaining match, though, nothing like the first semi-final between Senegal and Egypt. However, like in that match, will we see a late goal here as well?

A huge penalty appeal from Hakimi, whose shot was blocked by Bassey inside the box. The referee, however, waves play on, and VAR agrees with the decision. Replays show that the ball did hit Bassey's arm, but it was absolutely by the side of his body. The supporters and Regragui do not like the decision, though.

The 90 minutes of regulation time is over, and the fourth official indicates a minimum of three minutes to be played. Morocco are on the attack, but can the hosts steal a goal before we go into extra time?

After a thoroughly entertaining 90 minutes of football, neither side was able to break the deadlock and grab the winner. That means we are going to have 30 minutes more of football, and, if the sides can't be separated even then... penalties! Stay tuned.

The first half of extra time is underway in Rabat, with Morocco getting the ball rolling. It's raining, but that has not damped the spirits of the home support, who are making themselves heard despite 90 minutes of gruelling football.

Morocco have started the extra time well, with Aguerd managing to hit the crossbar after getting at the end of a Hakimi cross. Substitute Igamane then has another crack at Nwabali's goal, but his shot fizzes just wide of the post. The hosts are knocking.

A big call from Regragui, throwing on another attacker in the form of En-Nesyri, with the Fenerbahce striker replacing Ezzalzouli. We should see more crosses into the box now that Morocco have a physical presence up front.

We are still awaiting the first goal, and the second half of extra time is underway. 15 minutes more for the players to get something from open play before we go into spot kicks to decide the second AFCON 2025 finalist.

A big call from the Nigeria manager as Osimhen comes off for Paul Onuachu. Morocco make a changeo f their own, with youngster Ben Seghir coming on for Saibari. Both head coaches have one eye on penalties now.

The Moroccans made a host of attacking changes in hopes of getting a late goal, but even 30 minutes of extra time is not enough to separate them from Nigeria. Off we go to penalty shootouts.

Nigeria:

• Paul Onuachu 🟢

• Samuel Chukwueze 🔴

• Fisayo Dele-Bashiru 🟢

• Bruno Onyemaechi 🔴

Morocco:

• Neil El Aynaoui 🟢

• Hamza Igamane 🔴

• Eliesse Ben Seghir 🟢

• Achraf Hakimi 🟢

• Youssef En-Nesyri 🟢

It's all over in Rabat, and Morocco claw their way through into the finals! Bono is the hero for the home side, making a one-handed save to deny Onyemaechi in the shootouts. Heartbreak for Nigeria, who have been the best side in the tournament but could not break down the Moroccan defence tonight.