Nigeria v Morocco: Line-ups, stats and preview
Nigeria face Morocco in the 2025 AFCON semi-finals
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Nigeria v Morocco preview
Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi has praised the “brotherhood” Nigeria have built in camp as the Super Eagles aim to continue their perfect 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) run against host nation Morocco in Rabat on Wednesday.
The three-time champions have won all five of their games and kept clean sheets in both of their knockout matches, beating Mozambique 4-0 in the last 16 and Algeria 2-0 in the quarter-finals.
“The team has been so strong at previous AFCONs, but [we were] young and learning about each other,” said Iwobi, praising boss Eric Chelle.
“I feel like everyone’s now entering their prime. There’s a big unity and a big family, and that starts from the coach as well as the players. That’s bringing out the best in me and all the players.”
Morocco coach Walid Regragui believes his players raised their levels because of the added motivation of facing fellow heavyweights Cameroon in the quarter-finals, winning 2-0 with their most convincing display so far and a fifth goal in five games from tournament top scorer Brahim Diaz.
A 2004 finalist with the Atlas Lions as a player, Regragui does not want a repeat of what he saw as a 20-minute drop-off during their 1-0 win over considerable underdogs Tanzania in the last 16.
“We will have to be mentally strong, but an AFCON semi-final forces you to raise your concentration and running levels, so as not to allow Nigeria to breathe and comeback into the game with their technical and athletic [abilities],” observed Regragui.
“It’s going to be a good test for [Morocco] as well, because I think that they haven’t yet come across a team like ours to see what they’re really worth.”
Nigeria v Morocco team news
Nigeria midfielder and captain Wilfred Ndidi is banned, so Raphael Onyedika, who scored twice inside six second-half minutes during the 3-1 group-stage win over Uganda on December 30, could come in.
Bright Osayi-Samuel is a doubt, with Slavia Prague centre-back Igoh Ogbu the potential likeliest replacement for the Birmingham City wideman.
Ryan Alebiosu, who is arguably the natural stand-in for Osayi-Samuel, has not featured since suffering a cut foot on his Nigeria debut against Uganda during their final group-stage match on December 30.
Morocco midfielder Azzedine Ounahi will miss the rest of the tournament with a calf injury but Regragui said defender or midfielder Romain Saiss has returned to training for the first time since sustaining a hamstring problem in their opening 2-0 win over Comoros on December 21.
Nigeria v Morocco predicted line-ups
Nigeria starting XI: Stanley Nwabali, Bruno Onyemaechi, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika, Alex Iwobi, Victor Osimhen, Akor Adams, Ademola Lookman
Morocco starting XI: Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Nayef Aguerd, Adam Masina, Noussair Mazraoui, Bilal El Khannouss, Neil El Aynaoui, Ismael Saibari, Brahim Diaz, Ayoub El Kaabi, Abde Ezzalzouli
How to watch Nigeria v Morocco: TV channel, live online stream
Kick-off on Wednesday is at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT). In the UK, live AFCON 2025 coverage is on Channel 4’s E4 and All 4. In the USA, beIN Sports is the tournament broadcaster.
Online live streaming is available on a vast range of devices through Channel 4’s website and app and the beIN Sports app.
Nigeria v Morocco stats
- This is the teams’ first AFCON meeting in 22 years and the second time they’ve faced each other in a semi-final at the tournament
- Nigeria prevailed in the previous final-four encounter in 1980, triumphing 1-0 through Felix Owolabi’s ninth-minute winner en route to their first title
- They have faced the host or co-host nation on 10 previous occasions (W3 D3 L4)
- At the last edition of the finals, Nigeria beat hosts Ivory Coast 1-0 during the group stage but lost the final to them 2-1
- When Victor Osimhen has scored or assisted, Nigeria have never lost an AFCON match (W5 D2)
- Morocco won the fixture twice during the group stages on their way to their first and only title so far in 1976
- This is the 12th match between the teams overall. Morocco have six wins to Nigeria’s three, with two draws
- Morocco’s total of five goals from set-pieces is the most via that method of any team at the 2025 AFCON
- Having become the first Morocco player to score in four straight games at a single AFCON tournament, Real Madrid’s Diaz extended his own record by netting against Cameroon
Nigeria v Morocco prediction
Nigeria
Morocco
In a tough tie to call, home advantage could sway the balance in improving Morocco’s favour against a Nigeria side who were not infallible during the group stage, conceding six goals in three games. The winners will play the victors of the semi-final between Senegal and Egypt on January 18, with the losers contesting the third-place play-off against the other beaten semi-finalists the previous day.
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