By Kunle Solaja, Rabat

Morocco booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 with a narrow 1–0 victory over Tanzania in Rabat on Sunday, as Brahim Diaz delivered another decisive moment to underline the hosts’ title ambitions.

It was a testing evening for the Atlas Lions at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex, where dominance in possession did not immediately translate into clear chances. Tanzania, organised and resolute, sat deep and closed spaces effectively, forcing Morocco into patient build-up play and frustrating the home crowd.

Captained by Achraf Hakimi for the first time at this edition, Morocco thought they had broken the deadlock midway through the first half when Ismail Saibari finished from close range, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside in the 24th minute. The setback summed up a subdued opening half, which ended in a goalless draw.

Walid Regragui’s side returned with greater urgency after the interval. Diaz immediately signalled intent with a glancing header that forced a corner, before Bilal El Khannouss fired narrowly over in the 52nd minute as Morocco began to turn the screw.

Tanzania, however, nearly stunned the hosts against the run of play. Feisal Toto found himself unmarked inside the penalty area in the 56th minute but sent his effort high over the bar, missing a rare and golden opportunity.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 63rd minute, sparked by individual brilliance. Diaz cut inside and finished from a tight angle to beat the goalkeeper and ignite celebrations among the capacity crowd. The goal was his fourth of the tournament, taking him clear at the top of the scoring charts.

“The competition is growing in intensity, and we have just faced our toughest opposition so far,” Diaz reflected afterwards. “Not everything worked, but fortunately, we managed to secure our qualification. Now we will go back to work to be fully ready for the quarter-finals.”

Despite continued pressure and several half-chances, Morocco were unable to add to their lead. Tanzania remained competitive until the final whistle but could not find a way back as the hosts held firm.

Regragui acknowledged both the difficulty of the contest and his team’s improvement after the break. “We knew it was not going to be easy,” the Morocco coach said. “The first half was not good, but I recognised my team much more in the second half. The most important thing is qualification.”

The coach also confirmed a major setback, revealing that Azzedine Ounahi is out of the tournament after picking up an injury in training. “We are losing an exceptional player and a leader in our dressing room, but we will continue to fight for him,” Regragui added.

On the opposing bench, Tanzania head coach Miguel Ángel Gamondi took pride in his side’s performance despite elimination. “I am so proud of what my team produced, both in their attitude and tactically,” he said. “They showed that the gap between Morocco and us is not as big as people think. We will come back stronger.”

With the win, Morocco advance to the quarter-finals, where they will face the winner of the Round of 16 clash between South Africa and Cameroon at the Stade Al Madina, as the hosts’ quest for continental glory gathers momentum.

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By Kunle Solaja, Rabat

Nigeria will chase a place in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 for a record 18th time when the Super Eagles face Mozambique in Monday night’s Round of 16 clash at the Complexe Sportif de Fès.

The three-time champions arrive in Fez buoyed by history and form. Nigeria boast the richest overall medal haul in the 69-year history of Africa’s flagship football competition, with three titles, five runner-up finishes and eight bronze medals.

Only three times have the Super Eagles failed to reach the quarter-finals — on their debut in Ghana in 1963, in Libya in 1982, and at the last edition in Cameroon four years ago.

Notably, Ghana 2008 remains the only occasion Nigeria exited at the quarter-final stage. Every other time they have progressed beyond the first knockout round, a medal has followed — a statistic that underlines the weight of expectation surrounding Monday’s tie.

Yet caution is the watchword inside the Nigerian camp. Mozambique qualified for the knockout phase for the first time in their history, and third-placed finishers have previously sprung surprises at this stage — most memorably when Tunisia eliminated Nigeria in Garoua four years ago.

The Mambas announced themselves in Group F with a headline-grabbing victory over Gabon, sandwiched between defeats to holders Côte d’Ivoire and five-time champions Cameroon.

Under coach Chiquinho Conde, they have shown resilience, structure and a willingness to disrupt more fancied opponents.

Nigeria, however, swept through the group phase with three wins from three matches, scoring eight goals and conceding four. Their commanding displays earned head coach Eric Chelle the accolade of Coach of the Group Phase, reflecting a side that has blended defensive discipline with attacking fluency.

Mozambique are expected to rely on a compact defensive unit marshalled by Nené, Bruno Langa and Reinildo Mandava, with captain Domingues and João Bonde tasked with supplying forwards Chamito and Faisal Bangal in transition. The game plan, clearly, is to frustrate and strike opportunistically.

Chelle, mindful of knockout-stage realities, insists Nigeria must reset mentally despite their flawless group campaign.

“We will not get ahead of ourselves and think we are the best,” he said. “We will continue to work hard and stay focused for every match as it comes.”

The Super Eagles are set to welcome back several regulars rested in the final group game against Uganda, including captain Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Ademola Lookman. All eyes, meanwhile, will be on Victor Osimhen, who leads the line with 32 goals in 49 international appearances.

Lookman, the immediate past African Player of the Year, has been one of the tournament’s standout performers with two goals and two assists. Reflecting on his inclusion in the Group Phase Best XI, he was quick to shift focus back to the team’s broader ambition.

“The selection is not just for me, but my entire team-mates,” he said. “We have set targets to accomplish here in Morocco, and we are nowhere near our targets yet.”

Monday night’s encounter will be officiated by Cameroonian referee Abdou Abdel Mefir, assisted by compatriots Elvis Noupoue and Carine Atezambong, as Nigeria seek to extend their formidable AFCON knockout pedigree — and Mozambique aim to write a new chapter in their continental history.

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By Kunle Solaja, Tangier, enroute Rabat

Morocco’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Moha OU Ali Tagma, has expressed delight in the Super Eagles’ good run in Fez and wishes the team the best of luck in the Round of 16 match with Mozambique on Monday.

In a message to the Sports Village Square, the ambassador expressed his personal delight that the Nigerians are playing in the Fez region, which happens to be his region of origin.

“They are playing in my region, as I am from Azrou and Ifrane. What a delightful coincidence. My diplomatic mission is in Nigeria, and Nigeria is playing in my region!”

Fez has become a sort of home for Nigerian teams as they are yet to lose any match in the region, which sit in the mid region of the stretched Atlas range of mountains.

The mountain city has increasingly felt like home ground for Nigerian teams. Set in the heart of the Atlas range, the city boasts a rare and proud Nigerian record: no Nigerian side has ever lost a competitive match there.

In 1994, Shooting Stars pulled a stunning 1-1 with the home team, MAS Fez, in an African Cup of Champions game. The Super Eagles have played three matches in Fez and won all, becoming one of the only two of the 24 teams of AFCON 2025 to achieve the feat.

The Super Eagles’ flawless Fez record places Nigeria among only two of the 24 teams at AFCON 2025 to have won every match played in a single host city — an achievement that has added to the aura surrounding Monday’s showdown.

As Fez prepares to host its final match of the tournament, the Moroccan ambassador’s message blends diplomacy, heritage and footballing pride — and carries a clear wish: that the Super Eagles extend their perfect Fez story with victory over Mozambique and march confidently into the quarter-final.

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