Morocco edge Nigeria on penalties to reach Africa Cup of Nations final

Morocco Edge Nigeria in Penalty Shootout to Reach Africa Cup of Nations Final

A tense semi-final encounter between Morocco and Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations ended in a 0-0 draw, but it was Morocco who secured a thrilling 4-2 victory on penalties after goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made two crucial saves. The hosts' triumph sets them up for an exciting final showdown with Senegal, while Nigeria will face Egypt in the third-place play-off.

The match saw both teams struggle to create clear-cut scoring opportunities, but Morocco's sheer efficiency and workmanlike display ultimately paid off. Nigeria, on the other hand, failed to muster any meaningful attacks, despite boasting the best scoring record in the competition before the semi-final. The Super Eagles' limp performance was compounded by poor touches from talismanic forward Victor Osimhen, who squandered several chances.

As the match wore on, Morocco's relentless pressure eventually told, but even that did not result in a goal. Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made some impressive saves to deny Nigeria, while his teammates continued to create scoring opportunities without finding the net.

The decisive moment came in the penalty shootout, where Morocco goalkeeper Bounou saved two crucial penalties from Nigeria's Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi. However, Youssef En-Nesyri seized the initiative for Morocco, slotting home the winning spot-kick to send his team into the final.

Morocco will now face Senegal in Sunday's Africa Cup of Nations final, while Nigeria takes on Egypt in the third-place play-off a day earlier. The hosts' triumph marks their first continental title since 1976 and sets them up for a thrilling showdown against Senegal, who edged Egypt 1-0 thanks to Sadio Mane's winner in the other semi-final.

ugh, what a joke of a match . Nigeria just phoned it in from start to finish, no effort whatsoever . And that Yassine Bounou is literally a superhero , how he makes those impossible saves is beyond me . I mean, 4-2 on penalties? That's just ridiculous . And Senegal's gonna get creamed by Morocco in the final, it's over before it even starts . Egypt's gonna have to settle for bronze, and Nigeria's season is officially over .

man i think morocco played like they had more players on field compared to nigeria lol they kept piling pressure on nigeria but just couldn't score... meanwhile yassine bounou was a wall for morocco and saved them in the penalty shootout. can't deny it, morocco deserved that win senegal's gonna have their hands full against them in the final

I'm not surprised that Morocco pulled off that win ! They really came together as a team and showed some great determination. Nigeria just couldn't seem to get anything going on the pitch . I feel bad for their fans, though - they must be gutted after coming so close but ultimately falling short.

I love how Yassine Bounou stepped up in that penalty shootout ! He was like a hero, saving those two crucial penalties and securing the win for Morocco. And what can you say about En-Nesyri's coolness under pressure? That winning penalty goal was pure gold !

Now that Morocco is heading to the final, I'm super excited to see how they'll match up against Senegal . It's going to be a tough one, but I think Morocco has got what it takes to bring home the title !

I'm thoroughly entertained by the ebb and flow of this Africa Cup of Nations semi-final match Morocco's triumph over Nigeria on penalties is a testament to their grit and determination. While Nigeria's Victor Osimhen squandered several scoring opportunities, it was Morocco's collective effort that ultimately paid off in the end .

The Super Eagles' inability to capitalize on their dominant possession and attacks raises questions about their mental toughness under pressure . Meanwhile, Yassine Bounou's impressive saves in the penalty shootout cement his status as a top-tier goalkeeper .

Now that Morocco faces Senegal in the final, it'll be fascinating to see how both teams adapt to each other's strengths and strategies . The stage is set for an exciting conclusion to this thrilling tournament!

What a crazy match! I was on the edge of my seat watching the penalty shootout . Morocco just outplayed Nigeria, no doubt about it. Their goalie Yassine Bounou was like a wall, making those two huge saves . It's amazing how he could make such big difference in the game. And that penalty from Youssef En-Nesyri? Unbelievable! He's like a superstar now . Senegal is gonna be tough for Morocco, but I think they've got what it takes to win the whole thing . Nigeria, on the other hand... well, they just didn't show up . Can't say I'm surprised though, their offense was quiet all game. Anyway, I hope Yassine Bounou's saves are remembered forever .

can't believe morocco made it to the final after all that pressure they put on nigeria! yassine bounou is literally a hero his saves in the penalty shootout were insane and i'm hyped for the final against senegal, it's gonna be a close one ️

Ugh, can you believe it? A penalty shootout is all it took to decide this match? I mean, I know they said Morocco was the better team and all that but come on, a little luck doesn't make up for being outplayed by 10 minutes . And don't even get me started on Nigeria's forward, Victor Osimhen... what a waste of talent . He had so many chances to score and just couldn't even be bothered. Anyway, I guess Morocco will bask in the glory of their first title in 49 years . Can we please just have a decent final match now?

just wow what's going on with nigeria's forwards they had so many chances but couldn't capitalize ️ yassine bounou is a genius i love how morocco kept their cool under pressure and made it count

Morocco is on fire ! Their defense was rock solid & Yassine Bounou made some insane saves . Nigeria just couldn't get anything going . Victor Osimhen had some huge chances but squandered them . Morocco's determination paid off in the end & now they're one step away from their first AFCON title since 1976 ! Senegal better bring their A-game on Sunday or they'll be heading home

Morocco totally deserved that win! They kept piling pressure on Nigeria and Yassine Bounou was like a wall out there . I'm not surprised they won, but it was still an intense match. I do feel bad for Nigeria though, they didn't quite click and Victor Osimhen had some major misses . Senegal is gonna be tough to beat in the final tho, they've been going strong all tournament. Bring on the final! ️

I'm not surprised Morocco took it all the way ... but come on, Nigeria was supposed to be the team with the best scoring record! What happened? Osimhen just wasn't on his game, and they couldn't create anything meaningful... I guess you can say Yassine Bounou was the real hero for Morocco . Still, it's not like Nigeria didn't have chances, they just didn't capitalize... Senegal vs Morocco is gonna be a tough one to call ...

Morocco finally did something right... like, I guess it's about time they made it to the final? Yassine Bounou is literally a superhero , can't imagine how Nigeria would've done without him saving those two penalties . Senegal's gonna have their hands full with Morocco, that's for sure... can't wait to see if they'll actually make the most of this opportunity . Egypt and Nigeria are gonna have a great game, hopefully it won't be a total snooze fest .

idk why morocco had to win it was such a boring match lol they didn't even score any goals just relied on bounou's saves like he's some kinda hero nigeria were way more talented but they just couldn't get anything going ugh poor osimhen could've done so much better meanwhile senegal gets to play in the final again

So I'm thinking what surprised me most about this match was Nigeria's total lack of creativity on the field They had so much potential with players like Osimhen, but he just couldn't seem to get anything going And Morocco, they were really clinical in their execution - every chance they created led to a clear scoring opportunity I also thought Yassine Bounou's saves were insane Two crucial penalties saved and still managed to win the shootout for his team Now that they're playing Senegal in the final, it's going to be a tough one... Senegal has some talented players too

I'm not buying that Nigeria just had a bad day, ya know? They were supposed to be the team to beat with that scoring record and all, but they played like they didn't care. Osimhen should've done more than just waste those chances. And what's up with their defense? They got gashed by Morocco. Morocco's goalies were decent, I'll give 'em that, but it was their team's strategy that won them the game.

Morocco finally made it out of the group stages without embarrassing themselves . I mean, it's not like they were the only ones with a decent defense and Yassine Bounou is literally the man between them and a 4-0 thrashing . Nigeria just had one of those days where everything went wrong...again . You know when you're so bad that even your fans start questioning your ability to finish chances . On the bright side, they get to play Egypt, who I'm sure will be a much more enjoyable opponent than Nigeria in the third-place match . Bring it on!

Morocco is like totally taking over Africa right now! They played so well against Nigeria and I'm hyped they're going to take on Senegal in the final . Yassine Bounou, their goalkeeper, was literally a hero with those crucial saves in the penalty shootout . And can we talk about how frustrating it must be for Nigeria to not live up to expectations after having such a strong scoring record? Still, I gotta respect Morocco's team spirit and determination – they totally earned that win!