Morocco edged past Nigeria on penalties to reach the final of the Africa Cup of Nations after a tense goalless semi-final in Rabat on Wednesday night.
The hosts held their nerve to win the shootout 4-2 after 120 minutes failed to produce a goal at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah.
The match was a tight and cautious affair, with both sides struggling to find fluency in attack. Nigeria and Morocco cancelled each other out through normal time and extra time, as defensive discipline and goalkeeping kept chances to a minimum.
With the semi-final heading to penalties, Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou emerged as the decisive figure.
The All Hilal shot-stopper saved spot kicks from Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi, giving the Atlas Lions a crucial advantage in the shootout.
Youssef En-Nesyri then sealed victory for the hosts by calmly slotting the winning penalty into the bottom corner.
The successful kick sparked celebrations among the home supporters, who had endured a nervy night as Morocco chased a place in the final.
The win sends Morocco into their first Afcon final since 2004, as they continue their quest to lift the continental trophy for the first time since 1976.
For Nigeria, the defeat brings an end to their campaign after a hard-fought but ultimately frustrating semi-final performance.
Morocco will now face defending champions Senegal in Sunday’s final, scheduled to kick off at 19:00 GMT. Senegal booked their place earlier on Wednesday with a 1-0 victory over Egypt, setting up a highly anticipated showdown for the Afcon title.
Senegal reached the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after defeating Egypt 1-0 in a tense semi-final in Tangier, with Sadio Mané scoring the decisive goal in the 78th minute.
The forward struck from outside the box after a loose ball fell to him, beating goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy and once again denying his former Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah a first continental title.
Egypt offered little in attack for much of the contest, with Salah kept quiet, and Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy largely untroubled until late stoppage time, when he saved a long-range effort from Omar Marmoush.
