Nigeria’s quest for a fourth continental title came to a heartbreaking end on Wednesday night as the Super Eagles lost 4-2 on penalties to hosts Morocco in the semi-final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The tense encounter, played at a packed Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, ended goalless after 120 minutes of gruelling football.
Both sides adopted a cautious approach, with clear-cut chances few and far between. Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen was kept quiet by a disciplined Moroccan defence, while goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali produced a Man-of-the-Match performance to keep the Atlas Lions at bay during regulation time.
The shootout began promisingly for Nigeria when Nwabali saved Hamza Igamane’s spot-kick. However, the advantage was short-lived as Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi missed their subsequent kicks.
Youssef En-Nesyri converted the decisive penalty to send the home crowd into a frenzy and book Morocco’s place in the final.
Morocco will now face Senegal in Sunday’s final, while Nigeria must regroup for the third-place playoff.