Morocco Hold Their Nerve, Bounou Breaks Nigeria Hearts in Afcon Shootout
Good evening and what a dramatic night of African football we’ve just witnessed.
Morocco are through to the Africa Cup of Nations final and they’ve done it in the most nerve-shredding way possible, by winning a penalty shootout against Nigeria in front of their home crowd in Rabat. After 120 minutes of tense, scoreless football, it all came down to one man, goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who once again proved why he’s trusted on the biggest stages.
The match itself was tight, cautious and at times edgy. Both teams knew exactly what was at stake. A place in the Afcon final. For Morocco, a chance to lift the trophy at home and end a 50-year wait for continental glory. For Nigeria, an opportunity to turn their attacking firepower into another final appearance.
But from the opening whistle, clear chances were hard to find. Morocco saw more of the ball and pushed higher, but Nigeria stayed compact and disciplined. Long-range shots were mostly dealt with, crosses were crowded out and neither side could find that one moment of magic during normal time or extra time.
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Nigeria’s usually dangerous attack struggled to spark. Victor Osimhen had a frustrating night and was eventually pulled out just before the shootout, a decision that raised eyebrows and added to the tension. Morocco came close themselves, hitting the post and forcing saves, but goals simply refused to arrive.
So, penalties it was.
And that’s where Yassine Bounou stepped into the spotlight. Calm, focused and completely unfazed by the pressure, he saved two Nigerian spot kicks. Each save sent the stadium into eruption and pushed Nigeria closer to the edge. Although Nigeria’s keeper Stanley Nwabali did manage to keep one out, it wasn’t enough to shift the momentum.
When Youssef En-Nesyri stepped up to take Morocco’s decisive penalty, the entire nation seemed to hold its breath. He scored. Game over. Morocco win the shootout 4–2.
The scenes at full time were emotional. Players collapsing to the turf, staff rushing onto the pitch and Bounou lifted into the air like a hero. For Morocco, this is more than just a win. It’s history. Their first Afcon final since 2004 and this time, it’s happening at home.
They’ll now face Senegal in Sunday’s final, a heavyweight clash with the trophy on the line. Nigeria, meanwhile, must regroup quickly for the third-place playoff against Egypt, wondering how a tournament that promised so much slipped away in the cruelest way.
From Rabat tonight, Morocco march on. And the dream of lifting the Africa Cup on home soil is very much alive.
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