AFCON 2025 line-ups, stats, preview for Africa Cup of Nations semi ultimate

Nigeria v Morocco preview

Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi has praised the “brotherhood” Nigeria have inbuilt camp because the Tremendous Eagles goal to proceed their good 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) run towards host nation Morocco in Rabat on Wednesday.

The three-time champions have received all 5 of their video games and stored clear sheets in each of their knockout matches, beating Mozambique 4-0 within the final 16 and Algeria 2-0 within the quarter-finals.

“The crew has been so robust at earlier AFCONs, however [we were] younger and studying about one another,” stated Iwobi, praising boss Eric Chelle.

“I really feel like everybody’s now getting into their prime. There’s an enormous unity and an enormous household, and that begins from the coach in addition to the gamers. That’s bringing out the very best in me and all of the gamers.”

Morocco coach Walid Regragui believes his gamers raised their ranges due to the added motivation of going through fellow heavyweights Cameroon within the quarter-finals, profitable 2-0 with their most convincing show up to now and a fifth objective in 5 video games from match high scorer Brahim Diaz.

A 2004 finalist with the Atlas Lions as a participant, Regragui doesn’t need a repeat of what he noticed as a 20-minute drop-off throughout their 1-0 win over appreciable underdogs Tanzania within the final 16.

“We must be mentally robust, however an AFCON semi-final forces you to lift your focus and operating ranges, in order to not permit Nigeria to breathe and comeback into the sport with their technical and athletic [abilities],” noticed Regragui.

“It’s going to be a great take a look at for [Morocco] as properly, as a result of I believe that they haven’t but come throughout a crew like ours to see what they’re actually value.”

Nigeria v Morocco crew information

Nigeria midfielder and captain Wilfred Ndidi is banned, so Raphael Onyedika, who scored twice inside six second-half minutes in the course of the 3-1 group-stage win over Uganda on December 30, may are available in.

Brilliant Osayi-Samuel is a doubt, with Slavia Prague centre-back Igoh Ogbu the potential likeliest alternative for the Birmingham Metropolis wideman.

Ryan Alebiosu, who’s arguably the pure stand-in for Osayi-Samuel, has not featured since struggling a reduce foot on his Nigeria debut towards Uganda throughout their ultimate group-stage match on December 30.

Morocco midfielder Azzedine Ounahi will miss the remainder of the match with a calf harm however Regragui stated defender or midfielder Romain Saiss has returned to coaching for the primary time since sustaining a hamstring downside of their opening 2-0 win over Comoros on December 21.

Nigeria v Morocco predicted line-ups

Nigeria beginning XI: Stanley Nwabali, Bruno Onyemaechi, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Brilliant Osayi-Samuel, Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika, Alex Iwobi, Victor Osimhen, Akor Adams, Ademola Lookman

Morocco beginning 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

Learn how to watch Nigeria v Morocco: TV channel, dwell on-line stream

Kick-off on Wednesday is at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT). Within the UK, dwell AFCON 2025 protection is on Channel 4’s E4 and All 4. Within the USA, beIN Sports activities is the match broadcaster.

On-line dwell streaming is on the market on an enormous vary of gadgets via Channel 4’s web site and app and the beIN Sports activities app.

Nigeria v Morocco stats

• That is the groups’ first AFCON assembly in 22 years and the second time they’ve confronted one another in a semi-final on the match
• Nigeria prevailed within the earlier final-four encounter in 1980, triumphing 1-0 via Felix Owolabi’s ninth-minute winner en path to their first title
• They’ve confronted the host or co-host nation on 10 earlier events (W3 D3 L4)
• On the final version of the finals, Nigeria beat hosts Ivory Coast 1-0 in the course of the group stage however misplaced the ultimate to them 2-1
• When Victor Osimhen has scored or assisted, Nigeria have by no means misplaced an AFCON match (W5 D2)
• Morocco received the fixture twice in the course of the group phases on their technique to their first and solely title up to now in 1976
• That is the twelfth match between the groups total. Morocco have six wins to Nigeria’s three, with two attracts
• Morocco’s complete of 5 objectives from set-pieces is essentially the most through that methodology of any crew on the 2025 AFCON
• Having change into the primary Morocco participant to attain in 4 straight video games at a single AFCON match, Actual Madrid’s Diaz prolonged his personal file by netting towards Cameroon