Second match, and already a defining examination for tournament hosts Morocco.

After a controlled 2–0 victory over Comoros in their opening fixture, the Atlas Lions return to action in Group A of the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 knowing that a second successive win would all but secure passage to the knockout phase. Standing in their way is a Mali side under pressure to deliver, yet determined to stay faithful to its attacking identity in what promises to be a far sterner contest than rankings alone suggest.

Morocco head coach Walid Regragui made no attempt to soften the significance of the encounter, describing the clash with Mali as “the real start of the competition.” While pleased with his team’s composure and structure against Comoros, Regragui stressed that the context has now shifted.

“The first match is always complicated in the history of the AFCON,” he said at his pre-match press conference. “The second one is different. We are facing a team we know very well, and that knows us very well.”

As hosts, Morocco continue to embrace the weight of expectation that comes with home advantage. Regragui reiterated that the pressure associated with their status has been “assumed for months,” and there is no intention of retreating from it.

While acknowledging that possession was occasionally sterile in the first half of the opener, he defended the overall performance, pointing to control, patience and the ability to unlock a compact opponent. “At the highest level, football is also about solving problems during the match,” he explained, highlighting the squad’s mental strength and adaptability.

On the fitness front, Morocco’s concerns are minimal. Captain Romain Saïss remains sidelined by a minor muscle issue, while Achraf Hakimi is being carefully managed as he continues his progressive return. “We are preparing him for the whole tournament, not just one game,” Regragui emphasised. He also urged patience with emerging talents such as Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal, describing the young defender as “a real prospect” who should not be rushed.

From the Malian camp, the tone is one of respect without inferiority. Head coach Tom Saintfiet openly recognises Morocco as one of the continent’s strongest sides, but insists his team has the tools to compete.

The 1–1 draw with Zambia in their opening match, after long spells of control, brought frustration, yet it has not altered Mali’s approach. “We need points against Morocco,” Saintfiet admitted, while firmly rejecting any ultra-defensive mindset. Despite playing in front of a home crowd expected to exceed 60,000 spectators, Mali will not “park the bus.”

“We have good players, and we will play offensively,” he said, recalling a previous victory over Morocco achieved with limited possession but ruthless efficiency.

“The pressure is mainly on Morocco. They are seen as major favourites, they are playing at home and they have a very strong team. We are coming without any inferiority complex. All 28 players are ready to fight together.”

Midfielder Yves Bissouma echoed that focus, insisting that club-level issues have been set aside. “What matters today is Mali. The rest doesn’t interest me,” the Tottenham player said.

Despite Morocco’s status as favourites, Regragui remains wary. “Mali have always produced great players — that is part of their history,” he noted. “Whenever they play Morocco, you feel that extra motivation. It often pushes them to go beyond themselves, to run more and raise their level.”

The meeting also carries historical weight. This will be only the second time Morocco and Mali face each other in the final phase of the Africa Cup of Nations, following their semi-final encounter in 2004.

Played in Tunis, that match ended in a 4–0 victory for Morocco — still the biggest win in the country’s AFCON history and Mali’s heaviest defeat at the finals. Notably, Regragui himself started that match more than two decades ago.

On Friday night, with qualification within reach for one side and momentum at stake for the other, history, expectation and ambition converge — making Morocco versus Mali a true early marker of how far each team can go at AFCON 2025.

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By Kunle Solaja

• *Tunisia triggers Nigeria’s first Expulsion and Disqualification
• *From Walkouts to Knockouts
• *A Rivalry Forged in Controversy

Nigeria and Tunisia will renew one of African football’s oldest and most combustible rivalries on Saturday when they clash in Fez in their second Group C match of the Africa Cup of Nations.

With both teams winning their opening fixtures, the stakes are unmistakable: victory will secure a Round of 16 ticket ahead of the final group games scheduled for 29 December. For two traditional heavyweights, it is another chapter in a rivalry that stretches back more than six decades and has rarely lacked drama.

The two nations, long regarded as the top seeds in Group C, first crossed paths in 1961 and have since met across virtually every major stage of African football — from World Cup and AFCON qualifiers to group matches, knockout rounds, quarter-finals and even losers’ finals. Few continental rivalries can match the breadth, intensity and historical weight of Nigeria versus Tunisia.

Certain dates have acquired symbolic resonance. January 23, in particular, remains etched in the collective memory of both camps. On that date in 2000, Nigeria overwhelmed Tunisia 4–2 in the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations co-hosted by Ghana and Nigeria.

 Twenty-two years later, Tunisia exacted revenge on the same day, eliminating Nigeria 1–0 in Garoua during the 2021 AFCON, which was eventually played in 2022.

Beyond goals and results, the rivalry has been shaped by controversy. Remarkably, both teams have staged walkouts against each other in competitive fixtures — incidents that remain among the most extraordinary in AFCON history.

Nigeria’s first walkout came during an Africa Cup qualifier against Tunisia on 10 December 1961 in Tunis.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) subsequently awarded the match to Tunisia. Years later, Tunisia responded in kind during the third-place match at the 1978 AFCON, walking out after Baba Otu Mohammed scored an equaliser for Nigeria to make it 1–1. CAF awarded that match to Nigeria.

The rivalry also occupies a unique place in Nigerian football history for less flattering reasons. Sports Village Square recalls that Nigeria’s first-ever player expulsion in an international match occurred against Tunisia. It was also in Tunisia that Nigeria suffered its first disqualification from a major competition.

These events trace back to the early 1960s, when both nations were making their first forays into continental football. During the qualifiers for the 1962 Africa Cup of Nations — the maiden AFCON entry for both teams — Nigeria defeated Ghana and advanced to face Tunisia for a place in the finals.

Nigeria won the first leg 2–1 in Lagos. In the return match in Tunis on 10 December 1961, the Green Eagles led 2–1 again after goals from Chukwumah Egwuonu and Patrick Noquapor. However, the match descended into chaos.

Before halftime, Egyptian referee Mohammed Hassan Helim sent off Nigerian full-back Alfred Achebe, who thus became the first Nigerian player expelled in an international match. In the 65th minute, Tunisia scored a controversial equaliser.

 Nigerian players protested vehemently, alleging that Ridha Roubi had handled the ball in the penalty area before the referee ordered a drop ball that Chetali converted to make it 2–2, still leaving Nigeria ahead 4–3 on aggregate.

At the prompting of team officials, the Nigerian players staged a walkout, despite the objections of their Hungarian coach, George Varda. CAF later awarded the match 2–0 to Tunisia.

Nigeria’s football authorities, then operating as the NFA, protested with CAF, hoping for a reversal. Instead, the protest deepened the fallout.

When the matter was discussed at a CAF executive meeting in Ethiopia on 13 January 1962, it was referred to an extraordinary general assembly held three days later.

 CAF took exception to the tone of the Nigerian letter, noting that some of its wording — including references to “segregation” — was unacceptable under international football regulations.

More than 60 years later, the scars of history remain, even as generations of players change. When Nigeria and Tunisia step onto the pitch in Fez on Saturday, they will not just be chasing qualification. They will be revisiting a rivalry forged in controversy, pride, revenge and unforgettable moments — one that continues to define African football’s rich and often turbulent past.

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The second round of group-stage matches at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco is set to elevate the tournament from early promise to genuine intensity, with a run of heavyweight clashes and historic rivalries that could begin to define the path to the knockout stages from Friday.

After an opening round marked by goals, late drama and early statements of intent, the competition now moves into a phase where reputation, pedigree and psychology begin to matter just as much as form.

The first round produced 29 goals across 12 matches and six clean sheets, underlining a competition finely balanced between attacking ambition and defensive discipline. With margins already tight in most groups, the second set of fixtures arrives as a potential separator between contenders and chasers.

Several of Africa’s most decorated sides are set to collide over the next three days, while regional derbies add an extra edge to fixtures where pride often outweighs the points on offer.

Egypt vs South Africa: a familiar heavyweight duel

Friday’s meeting between Egypt and South Africa is one of the round’s headline encounters. These two sides share a long and often tense history at the Africa Cup of Nations, with their meetings frequently shaping tournament narratives.

Both teams opened with victories — Egypt relying once again on the decisive presence of Mohamed Salah, while South Africa edged past Angola through late composure and Lyle Foster’s calm finishing. With both sitting on three points, the contest carries significant weight in the battle for top spot in Group B.

Beyond the tactics, this is a clash defined by pedigree: seven-time champions against a side that has repeatedly proven capable of upsetting Africa’s elite.

With both sides opened with victories, and with attacking quality on both benches, the contest could prove decisive in determining who tops the group. Angola and Zimbabwe, beaten in their openers, face a must-win encounter earlier in the day.

Morocco at home, Mali loaded with talent

Later on Friday, hosts Morocco face Mali in a match layered with symbolism. Morocco arrive as Africa’s first-ever World Cup semi-finalists, buoyed by home support and early composure, but Mali bring a squad brimming with athleticism, intensity and technical quality.

Brahim Díaz’s goal in the opener signalled Morocco’s attacking threat, yet Mali’s midfield energy — driven by Lassine Sinayoko’s relentless work rate — ensures this will be far from routine. For Mali, a positive result would dramatically shift the balance in Group A. Zambia clash with Comoros in the group’s other game on Friday

Senegal vs DR Congo: power meets discipline

Saturday’s showdown between Senegal and DR Congo in Tangier promises another bruising encounter. Meetings between these sides have rarely lacked intensity, and both arrive with confidence after opening-round wins and clean sheets.

Senegal’s authority was underlined by Nicolas Jackson’s brace, while Iliman Ndiaye dictated tempo and movement. DR Congo, meanwhile, showed tactical maturity and defensive discipline, suggesting they will not be easily overrun.

With elite talent across both squads, this fixture could prove decisive in determining who controls Group D. Benin will take on Botswana in the group’s other game on the day.

Nigeria vs Tunisia: pedigree and pressure

Saturday night brings together Nigeria — finalists at the last AFCON — and a Tunisian side that arrived in Morocco with a flawless qualifying campaign and followed it up with an assured opening victory.

Nigeria’s win was built on composure and individual quality, with Ademola Lookman once again stepping up in key moments. Tunisia, powered by Mohamed Elias Achouri’s attacking efficiency, have shown a ruthless edge that makes them dangerous opponents for anyone.

This is a clash of two sides accustomed to tournament football — disciplined, streetwise and rarely overwhelmed by occasion.

Cote d’Ivoire vs Cameroon: rivals renewed

Sunday’s meeting between title holders Cote d’Ivoire and Cameroon is steeped in history. As defending champions, the Elephants know victory would give them control of Group F, but Cameroon’s narrow opening win highlighted their trademark resilience.

These two perennial rivals have produced some of AFCON’s most explosive encounters, and with Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo already influential, the contest is rich with attacking quality and emotional charge.

Derbies and danger elsewhere

Beyond the glamour ties, the regional derby between Tanzania and Uganda adds another layer to the second round. Neighbours with deep familiarity, matches between the two are traditionally fiery, intense and unpredictable — often defying form and expectation.

Algeria’s clash with Burkina Faso also carries weight. Algeria’s emphatic opening display, led by Riyad Mahrez, meets a Burkina Faso side buoyed by late drama and belief. Both know victory would virtually secure qualification.

A tournament sharpening quickly

After one round, AFCON 2025 already feels unforgiving. Established contenders are being tested early, while emerging sides continue to show resilience and ambition.

As rivalries resurface and heavyweight squads collide, the second round promises not just entertainment, but clarity — revealing who is ready to go deep, and who may already be running out of room for error.

Second Round Fixtures (Group Stage)

Friday, 26 December

·12:30 GMT: Angola vs Zimbabwe – Group B

·15:00 GMT: Egypt vs South Africa – Group B

·17:30 GMT: Zambia vs Comoros – Group A

·20:00 GMT: Morocco vs Mali – Group A

Saturday, 27 December

·12:30 GMT: Benin vs Botswana – Group D

·15:00 GMT: Senegal vs DR Congo – Group D

·17:30 GMT: Uganda vs Tanzania – Group C

·20:00 GMT: Nigeria vs Tunisia – Group C

Sunday, 28 December

·12:30 GMT: Gabon vs Mozambique Group F

·15:00 GMT: Equatorial Guinea vs Sudan Group E

·17.30 GMT: Algeria vs Burkina Faso Group E

·20:00 GMT: Cote d’Ivoire vs Cameroon Group F

-Cafonline

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