Morocco’s goalkeeper #01 Yassine Bounou and teammate #10 Brahim Diaz celebrate after winning the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) semi-final football match against Nigeria at the Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium in Rabat on Wednesday. Photo: FRANCK FIFE / AFP Hosts Morocco will play Sadio Mane’s Senegal in this weekend’s Africa Cup of Nations final after both emerged victorious in tense last-four ties on Wednesday as Mohamed Salah’s dreams of winning the title were again dashed. Morocco beat Nigeria 4-2 on penalties after their semi-final showdown of few chances in capital Rabat finished 0-0 at the end of extra time, with goalkeeper Yassine Bounou performing heroics by saving twice in the shoot-out.
Bounou, of Saudi side Al-Hilal, saved from Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi, allowing Youssef En-Nesyri to convert the winning kick and spark wild celebrations among over 65,000 fans inside the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. As well as joy there was relief for Hamza Igamane, who had appeared distraught after his kick — Morocco’s second in the shoot-out — was saved by Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. He was the only Moroccan player to fail to score in the shoot-out, however, with captain and talisman Achraf Hakimi among those who converted their penalties.
“It was one of the hardest matches we have had against a very solid and talented team,” said Morocco coach Walid Regragui, who played in the last Atlas Lions team to reach the AFCON final when they lost to Tunisia in 2004. “I am very happy for the players and for the Moroccan people who really deserve this. “It is a great gift for them to be in the final but we will need to recover quickly because we put a lot of energy into the game.” The shoot-out came after a cagey encounter, with almost all the chances of note coming in the first half and Nigeria mustering just two shots in the entire game.
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Morocco have been under enormous pressure to deliver a first AFCON title for their country in half a century and just their second overall. However, as their dream remains alive it is an agonising way for Nigeria’s hopes to end, two years after they lost the final to the hosts in Ivory Coast.
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