Morocco beats Cameroon 2-0 in AFCON quarter-final, moves to semis
Morocco secured their place in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Cameroon on Friday, January 9, 2026, at Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium in Rabat. Real Madrid winger Brahim Diaz opened the scoring in the 26th minute—his fifth goal in five tournament matches—after a header from Ayoub El Kaabi deflected off him past the Cameroon keeper. Ismael Saibari sealed the win with a second goal in the 74th minute. The match drew over 64,000 fans in Rabat. Morocco, ranked Africa's top team, now awaits the winner of Saturday's Algeria-Nigeria clash for their semi-final scheduled for Wednesday. Cameroon, five-time champions, struggled to create chances with Manchester United forward Bryan Mbeumo limited impact. Morocco coach Walid Regragui's team remains unbeaten since their 2024 AFCON defeat by South Africa. This marks Morocco's first semi-final appearance since losing the 2004 final to Tunisia. The hosts face immense pressure to win their first continental title in 50 years on home soil. For Moroccan fans, the question is: can this golden generation deliver the trophy, or will the weight of expectation prove too much in the semi-finals?