In a thrilling quarter-final clash at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, host nation Morocco secured a 2-0 victory against Cameroon at Rabat’s packed Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. The match saw Brahim Diaz and Ismael Saibari net decisive first-half goals that ultimately proved insurmountable for the Indomitable Lions.
Cameroon’s Manchester United forward Bryan Mbeumo expressed profound disappointment with his team’s initial performance, acknowledging that their hesitant start significantly compromised their chances. “Our first-half display fell considerably short of our capabilities,” Mbeumo stated. “We demonstrated marked improvement after the interval, forcing Morocco to adapt, but ultimately they capitalized on their opportunities.”
The match represented a personal milestone for Mbeumo, who was competing in his first AFCON tournament since switching international allegiance from France to Cameroon in 2022. Despite failing to score throughout the competition, the 26-year-old contributed a crucial assist during Cameroon’s opening victory against Gabon.
Cameroon’s head coach David Pagou, who assumed leadership shortly before the tournament following the controversial dismissal of Belgian manager Marc Brys, concurred with Mbeumo’s assessment. Pagou noted the team’s initial timidity but praised their second-half resurgence and overall tournament performance, emphasizing that the youthful squad had provided “significant emotions to the Cameroonian people.”
The victory held particular historical significance for Morocco, marking their first semi-final appearance since 2004. Real Madrid playmaker Brahim Diaz continued his exceptional tournament form, scoring his fifth goal to become Morocco’s all-time top scorer in a single AFCON competition. Head coach Walid Regragui hailed Diaz as the team’s “X factor” and praised his transformed mentality, suggesting the player possesses potential to become “the world’s best.”
The electric atmosphere generated by Moroccan supporters received special recognition from both teams, with Saibari describing the environment as “amazing” and Regragui noting the crowd effectively functioned as a twelfth player. Morocco now advances to face the winner of the Algeria-Nigeria matchup, continuing their quest for a second continental title fifty years after their first triumph.