Morocco progressed to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final after overcoming Nigeria in a penalty shoot-out on Wednesday evening.
The host nation came with the same side that started against Cameroon in the quarter-finals, whereas the Super Eagles were without Wilfried Ndidi through suspension and gave a start to Raphael Onyedika.
Nigeria made a decent opening and a first shot in anger by Ademola Lookman forcd goalkeeper Yassine Bounou into a good save.
Achraf Hakimi came close for the host on the half-hour mark with a cross to the area for Brahim Diaz, but the latter nodded wide of the mark.
Ahead of halftime, the Atlas Lions got a clearer chance after a quick passing move in the half-spaces saw Ismael Saibari cut-in at the near post and forced a save off Stanley Nwabali.
Nwabali was needed again five minutes into the second half when he pulled across his goal-line to palm a curling shot from Abde Ezzalzouli. The Super Eagles, meanwhile, remained under pressure with the pacey runs from Hakimi and Diaz but Nwabali was able to steer the danger.
Eric Chelle’s boys didn’t lose confidence as the movements by Iwobi, Onyedika and Lookman pinned the Atlas Lions to their own half.
Nigeria went to the bench within the final seven minutes and removed Onyedika to bring on Moses Simon as the match remained evenly keenly poised.
With no goals in regulation time, it was off to extra-time where the same sequence of events showed and a penalty shoot-out came to determine a victor.
The Atlas Lions proved superior in the shoot-out, with Youssef En-Nesyri firing the winning effort after Bounou had pulled off two saves to set-up a date with Senegal in the final on Sunday. Nigeria, meanwhile, will face Egypt in the third-place play-off on Saturday evening.
Kick Off (C)