Morocco's forward #10 Brahim Diaz (R) celebrates scoring his team's first goal with Morocco's defender #02 Achraf Hakimi (2nd R) during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) quarter-final football match between Cameroon and Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdallah stadium in Rabat on January 9, 2026. (Photo by Gabriel Bouys / AFP)
Rabat: Hosts Morocco kept their dream of winning the Africa Cup of Nations in front of their own fans alive with a 2-0 victory over Cameroon in the quarter-finals on Friday, while Senegal saw off neighbours Mali to reach the last four.
Real Madrid winger Brahim Diaz made it five goals in five games at this AFCON to put Morocco in front against Cameroon in front of over 64,000 fans at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, and Ismael Saibari sealed the win in the second half.
Morocco well worth their triumph as they progress to a semi-final against the winner of Saturday's clash between Algeria and Nigeria.
"We need to just keep going one game at a time. We have not done anything yet," insisted Morocco coach Walid Regragui, who nevertheless also hailed a "historic" victory.
"Moroccans have not seen their team in the semi-final of an AFCON for 22 years. They deserve it but we need to keep our feet on the ground and make it even more historic."
The semi-final promises to be a stiffer test for Morocco than that posed by Cameroon, who were hoping to spring an upset having already perhaps exceeded expectations in coming this far after a troubled build-up to the tournament.
The Indomitable Lions, five-time African champions, created little with Manchester United forward Bryan Mbeumo struggling to make an impact.
"We are satisfied with the boys because they have given a lot of emotion to the Cameroonian people and that was the aim," insisted coach David Pagou, who only took over the team in the run-up to the tournament.
Morocco, Africa's top-ranked nation and World Cup semi-finalists in 2022, are under enormous pressure to win the trophy in front of their own fans, half a century after their last continental title.
There have been doubts as to whether they can handle the weight of expectation, but they remain on course to achieve their objective -- it is the first time Morocco have reached the AFCON semi-finals since they lost the 2004 final to Tunisia.
Morocco were beaten by Cameroon in the semi-finals the last time they hosted AFCON in 1988, but a repeat outcome never really looked likely.
The hosts went ahead on 26 minutes when Achraf Hakimi's corner was headed towards goal by Ayoub El Kaabi at the near post, and the ball went in off Diaz.
That calmed a frenetic home support, who cheered their team off at the break and then saw Saibari seal the victory in the 74th minute.
The PSV Eindhoven midfielder controlled Abde Ezzalzouli's dead-ball delivery at the back post before firing in, as Morocco march on to Wednesday's semis.
