"AFCON Semifinals: The Morocco Show Must Go On"
The stage is set for two mouthwatering ties in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semifinals, and the hosts Morocco are looking to make it count. With their unbeaten record since losing to South Africa at the last AFCON, Walid Regragui's side is confident of a spot in the final.
But they won't be easy opponents for Mohamed Salah's Egypt or Victor Osimhen's Nigeria, who remain in contention to win the trophy. The African powerhouse has been boosted by the return of injured captain Achraf Hakimi and winger Brahim Diaz, the tournament's top scorer so far with five goals in five games.
Despite facing pressure at home, Regragui insists that Morocco is the team to beat. "We're the team to beat. As the team to beat, people will try to find all sorts of reasons to say Morocco has an advantage," he said. The Atlas Lions' sole advantage, according to Regragui, is playing in front of a 65,000-strong crowd.
Meanwhile, Nigeria is seeking to improve on their performance over the last three weeks, which saw them score 14 goals and reach the semifinals for the second time since 2019. Their presence has made four out of five top-ranked African teams qualify for the semis, with Algeria being the exception after a shock loss to Senegal.
The other semifinal tie pits Egypt against Senegal in Tangier, a repeat of the 2022 final, which the Lions of Teranga won on penalties. Senegal is ranked second in Africa and stands one game away from a third final appearance in four editions. Mohamed Salah, who has scored four goals at the tournament, is determined to fire Egypt to a record-extending eighth title.
However, he knows that it won't be easy against their opponents. "We have very good players, but most play in Egypt. We have three players playing abroad, but all of them are in a difficult situation – none of them are playing for their clubs just now," Salah admitted. The pressure on the Pharaohs is mounting, and only time will tell if they can break their AFCON drought.
The stage is set for an exciting semifinal showdown between Morocco and Nigeria, with Egypt and Senegal following closely behind. Will the Atlas Lions' home advantage be enough to propel them to victory, or will their opponents spoil the party? Only one thing is certain – it's going to be a thrilling ride!
The stage is set for two mouthwatering ties in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semifinals, and the hosts Morocco are looking to make it count. With their unbeaten record since losing to South Africa at the last AFCON, Walid Regragui's side is confident of a spot in the final.
But they won't be easy opponents for Mohamed Salah's Egypt or Victor Osimhen's Nigeria, who remain in contention to win the trophy. The African powerhouse has been boosted by the return of injured captain Achraf Hakimi and winger Brahim Diaz, the tournament's top scorer so far with five goals in five games.
Despite facing pressure at home, Regragui insists that Morocco is the team to beat. "We're the team to beat. As the team to beat, people will try to find all sorts of reasons to say Morocco has an advantage," he said. The Atlas Lions' sole advantage, according to Regragui, is playing in front of a 65,000-strong crowd.
Meanwhile, Nigeria is seeking to improve on their performance over the last three weeks, which saw them score 14 goals and reach the semifinals for the second time since 2019. Their presence has made four out of five top-ranked African teams qualify for the semis, with Algeria being the exception after a shock loss to Senegal.
The other semifinal tie pits Egypt against Senegal in Tangier, a repeat of the 2022 final, which the Lions of Teranga won on penalties. Senegal is ranked second in Africa and stands one game away from a third final appearance in four editions. Mohamed Salah, who has scored four goals at the tournament, is determined to fire Egypt to a record-extending eighth title.
However, he knows that it won't be easy against their opponents. "We have very good players, but most play in Egypt. We have three players playing abroad, but all of them are in a difficult situation – none of them are playing for their clubs just now," Salah admitted. The pressure on the Pharaohs is mounting, and only time will tell if they can break their AFCON drought.
The stage is set for an exciting semifinal showdown between Morocco and Nigeria, with Egypt and Senegal following closely behind. Will the Atlas Lions' home advantage be enough to propel them to victory, or will their opponents spoil the party? Only one thing is certain – it's going to be a thrilling ride!