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Who: Cameroon vs Morocco
What: CAF Africa Cup of Nations
Where: Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium successful Rabat, Morocco
When: Friday, January 9 astatine 8pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll person each the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT successful beforehand of our unrecorded people and substance commentary stream.
Few gave Cameroon overmuch of a accidental successful the Africa Cup of Nations aft off-the-field issues marred their build-up to the tourney but the Indomitable Lions stood steadfast successful the look of adversity to scope the quarterfinals successful Morocco.
The five-time champions are up against the hosts successful Friday’s last-eight tie, knowing the unit is firmly connected the North Africans arsenic they look to triumph a archetypal AFCON rubric successful 50 years successful beforehand of their location supporters.
With high-profile players specified arsenic Brahim Diaz, Achraf Hakimi, Bryan Mbeumo and Carlos Baleba involved, determination volition beryllium nary shortage of endowment connected show successful Rabat.
Here’s everything you request to cognize astir Cameroon vs Morocco:
What happened successful Cameroon’s campy earlier the AFCON 2025?
Cameroon person spent the past 18 months embroiled successful a bizarre conflict of wills betwixt their federation, headed by four-time African Footballer of the Year Samuel Eto’o, and the sports ministry, which employs the coach.
Head manager Marc Brys was employed against Eto’o’s wishes, and the brace sparred publically passim the 21 months that the Belgian managed the team. Brys had the backing of the government, which pays the team’s costs, leaving a frustrated Eto’o undermining his manager whenever helium could but being incapable to get escaped of him.
Ultimately, Cameroon, who person been to much FIFA World Cups than immoderate different African nation, had a dismal qualifying run and failed to marque the chopped for the 2026 edition.
World Cup qualification failure, combined with a landslide re-election triumph for Eto’o astatine astir the aforesaid time, saw enactment for Brys abruptly fade, and helium was fired 3 weeks earlier the AFCON. In his place, the unheralded David Pagou was appointed caller coach, and a squad for AFCON was selected without skipper Vincent Aboubakar oregon goalkeeper Andre Onana, who had antecedently expressed enactment for the sports minister.
How did Cameroon scope the AFCON quarterfinals?
Cameroon finished runners-up successful Group F with 2 wins and a draw. They were tied connected 7 points with the Ivory Coast, but settled for the 2nd spot connected relationship of less goals scored than the array toppers.
In the circular of 16, Cameroon beat South Africa 2-1, acknowledgment to goals from Junior Tchamadeu and Christian Kofane.
For Cameroon, reaching the past 8 means their AFCON is already a occurrence aft a chaotic build-up [File: AFP]What happened successful Morocco’s camp?
Despite being tipped arsenic overwhelming favourites, the World Cup 2022 semifinalists faced aboriginal disapproval aft a nervy opening-day triumph implicit minnows Comoros and a gully with Mali, earlier restoring assurance with a convincing 3-0 triumph implicit Zambia successful their last radical match.
Coach Walid Regragui had apologised to frustrated fans for the team’s underwhelming performance, saying, “Moroccans are people emotional, they request confidence.”
Captain Hakimi urged fans to backmost them each the mode through.
“If the fans are down america we tin beryllium champions of Africa together,” helium said.
How did Morocco scope the quarterfinals?
Morocco topped Group A with a akin record, bagging 2 wins and a gully for 7 points.
They started their knockout run with a 1-0 triumph implicit Tanzania successful the circular of 16.
Who volition the victor look successful the adjacent round?
The victor of the Cameroon vs Morocco lucifer volition look the victor of the Algeria vs Nigeria lucifer successful the semifinals. That crippled volition beryllium held connected January 14 successful Rabat.
Who are Cameroon’s champion players?
Cameroon person not been among the astir free-scoring sides, but a fistful of individuals person stepped up to the task.
Teenage guardant Christian Kofane has been the standout player, scoring doubly astatine the tournament, including a decisive onslaught successful the round-of-16 victory, to underline his increasing value to the Indomitable Lions. Cameroon were besides fortunate during the radical stage, benefitting from 2 ain goals that helped support their run connected track.
Beyond Kofane, goals person travel from Tchamadeu and Etta Eyong, portion established prima Bryan Mbeumo and emerging endowment Carlos Baleba person some impressed, earning Player of the Match awards for their influential displays.
Who are Morocco’s champion players?
Right winger Brahim Diaz has been Morocco’s standout performer astatine the AFCON 2025.
The Real Madrid subordinate is the tournament’s apical scorer with 4 goals, uncovering the nett successful each of Morocco’s 4 matches and underlining his presumption arsenic their astir decisive attacking threat.
Striker Ayoub El Kaabi has besides caught the eye, with his acrobatic finishes drafting admiration from fans and pundits alike, chipping successful with 2 goals to bolster Morocco’s beforehand line.
Achraf Hakimi, wide regarded arsenic the world’s champion right-back, missed the archetypal 2 matches owed to an ankle injury, but is backmost to afloat lucifer fitness, having made his archetypal commencement of the tourney successful the archetypal knockout fixture.
Although each eyes were connected their fashionable right-back Achraf Hakimi earlier the tournament, it’s Brahim Diaz who has emerged arsenic Morocco’s prima performer astatine AFCON 2025 [Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters]Cameroon and Morocco signifier guides
Cameroon: W-W-D-W-L
Morocco: W-W-D-W-W
Head-to-head
Cameroon and Morocco person met successful 13 erstwhile encounters crossed competitory and affable games.
Cameroon predominate the head-to-head grounds with 7 wins, portion 4 games ended successful a draw. Morocco person won lone twice.
When did Cameroon and Morocco past meet?
The teams past met successful February 2021 astatine the Africa Nations Championship, commonly known arsenic CHAN, successful a semifinal tie. Morocco won that crippled 4-0.
Have Cameroon ever won an AFCON title?
Yes. Cameroon are 1 of Africa’s large forces successful the tournament. They person won the rubric 5 times: 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002 and 2017.
They are the second-most palmy squad successful AFCON down Egypt, who person 7 titles.
Have Morocco ever won an AFCON title?
Yes. Morocco won their archetypal and lone rubric successful 1976. At that time, Morocco were lone the 2nd North African squad to triumph the continental title aft Egypt.
Cameroon squad news
Cameroon’s coach, David Pagou, could beryllium without midfielder Darlin Yongwa aft helium came disconnected injured lone 21 minutes into the last-16 fixture.
Cameroon’s predicted lineup
Devis Epassy; Che Malone, Samuel Kotto, Nouhou Tolo; Junior Tchamadeu, Arthur Avom, Carlos Baleba, Mahamadou Nagida; Bryan Mbeumo, Christian Kofane, Danny Namaso
Morocco squad news
Morocco manager Walid Regragui volition beryllium without attacking midfielder Azzedine Ounahi, who has been ruled retired of the tourney with a calf injury.
“He has a teardrop successful his calf and can’t play astatine the AFCON. He is unavailable for 5 to six weeks,” Regragui confirmed aft the crippled against Tanzania. “He injured himself successful training. It is an aged wounded that helium had with Girona, and the scar has opened up again.”
Morocco’s predicted lineup
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
English (US) ·