The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations semifinals feature two heavyweight clashes, with Senegal facing Egypt in a legacy-defining match for Mohamed Salah before hosts Morocco take on a rampant Nigeria, who have been the tournament’s most convincing side.
FOUR NATIONS. ONE THRONE. NO SECOND CHANCES
SF1: A Mané-Salah rematch the world has waited four years for 💥
SF2: Africa’s most lethal striker meets its most elite defender ⚔️
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The business end of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations arrives with two spectacular semifinal fixtures that promise high drama and career-defining narratives. The first, in Tangier, is a heavyweight rematch of the 2021 final, pitting former champions Senegal against the perpetual ambition of Egypt. Inevitably billed as a final chapter in the storied international rivalry of former Liverpool icons Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah, the match carries profound weight for the Pharaohs’ captain.
Salah, having won almost everything at club level, is on a personal mission to secure the elusive continental title that would cement his legacy, while Mané aims to guide Senegal to another AFCON trophy in five years. Egypt, reliant on Salah’s clutch moments and the dynamism of Omar Marmoush, faces a deeper, more experienced Senegalese side favored to advance amidst a buoyant atmosphere in Morocco.
Later, in the capital Rabat, tournament hosts Morocco confront their sternest test in a rampant Nigeria. The Super Eagles have steadily grown into the competition’s most potent and convincing force, having already set a new national record for goals scored in a single AFCON. The devastating attacking tandem of Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, supported by a disciplined tactical system under coach Eric Chelle, poses a monumental threat. Morocco’s campaign, in contrast, has been a patchwork of fleeting brilliance and frustration, hampered by injuries to key players like Azzedine Ounahi and burdened by the volatile weight of home expectation.
While the mercurial talent of Brahim Díaz and the unpredictability of Ayoub El Kaabi offer hope, the suspension of Nigerian captain Wilfred Ndidi is a rare boost for the hosts. The psychological battlefield will be crucial; as Nigerian coach Chelle prepares to exploit specific spaces, Moroccan manager Walid Regragui must navigate the intense scrutiny he acknowledged, stating, “in Morocco, it’s different, and you have to accept it.” The outcome likely hinges on whether Nigeria’s explosive momentum can trigger a Moroccan implosion under the glaring spotlight of a nation’s dream.