One of cups d’Africa more wet of history – impressive Images from the rain who accompanied the tournament Moroccan from December 21st to today – enter the last lap of the track: Wednesday 14 Januarythe two semi-finals, the one of the hosts against the Nigeria (Rabat, 9pm), preceded at 5pm in Tangier by Egypt-Senegal, they will give us the names of those who will compete to bring home the trophy on Sunday. The Morocco has been waiting for this day since 1976. Egypt, with seven triumphs in the lead in the roll of honor, has been empty since 2010. The Nigeria dal 2018. Il Senegal dal 2021. In 2023 the Ivory Coastswept away in the quarterfinals from Egypt.
Morocco-Nigeria will stop the country for due ore. Thirty-eight million will follow the Rabat challenge by all possible means. The last one semi-final with the Atlanta Lions on the field dates back 22 years. Morocco has the best defense (just 1 goal conceded, scored by Mali in the group stage), but the Nigeria reply with the best attack (14 goals). The home national team fields the striker of the tournament: the “Madridista” Brahim Diazat 5. The Nigerians Osimhen e Lookmanour acquaintances, have achieved respectively 4 and 3 goal. Morocco is dragged by the country and a government who invested notable resources to build and renovate the stages, subtracting money important to other vital sectors, such as that of healthcare.
The Nigeriaas often happened in the past, has given away titles for the usual quarrels Between squad e federationtopic – same old story here too – i cash prizes. But this time there was something more to torment the days of the Super Eagles, outside the 2026 World Cup: the dramatic litigation in the field that he had as protagonists Osimhen e Lookman. Topic for discussion: a – alleged – excess Of selfishness from the side of the Atalantaunderlined from the former Neapolitan with the phrase “football is a team game”.
Morocco e Nigeria they faced each other otto voltewith the Atlas Lions having a slight advantage (five wins to three). In the Africa Cup of Nations, this semi-final is a remake of the distant 1980 match, won by Nigeria 1-0 in Lagos. The panorama of important players expands on the Moroccan front with Judge and the doorman Bounouwhile, on the other side, the captain Patience (Besiktas), Iwobi (Fulham), the former milanista Chukwueze (Fulham) e Adams (Seville) are the other important pieces. Among the “Italians” of Augustin Eguaoven’s band, the Lazio native Dele-Bashiru and the Pisan Akinsanmiro. The defender Calvin Bansey he was born in Aosta, but when he was a child his parents moved to England and he grew up in Leicester’s youth sector.
The match is worth a lot to the Morocco and very much for the coach, Walid Rulegui. A knockout could challenge his position: “Nigeria has good players and a deep bench, but the important thing is that we have to be mentally strong to not allow our opponent to breathe. We have grown up match in match and this is me reassures. We want it finale to give joy to our people.”
Senegal–Egypt lives above all on the long-distance challenge of illustrious former Liverpool teammates, Sadio Mane e Mo Salah. The two attackers did not have a splendid relationship. Mané’s jealousies, tantrums and accusations of selfishness against Salah. The Egyptian is in free fall a Liverpool. He entered a collision course with the Dutch coach Arne Slot and his controversy gave the newspapers plenty of material. In Coppa d’Africa he found himself, signing quattro gol. “For me maybe it’s the last chance to finally win This tournament” Mo, 33, scored a total of 11 rarely in the final phase of the Africa Cup of Nations and is at 4 in the current tournament.
Mane34 years old in April, after the experience at Bayern Monaco he settled in Arabia Saudiat Al Nassr. He didn’t shine in Morocco, but he remains a key figure in the Senegal. He doesn’t forget the past with Salah. “I think Mo is a guy Very friendlyeven if on the pitch sometimes I passed the ball and sometimes not. I still remember a match where I was really, really angry because he almost never passed the ball to me,” he said on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.
Egypt has an account in suspended with the Senegal. In the 2021the Pharaohs lost the final of the Africa Cup of Nations on penalties and in March 2022they were again beaten from the penalty spot in the play-off for qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar. The decisive penalty was scored by ManeWhile Salah it failed. The almost former Lazio player is in the squad in Senegal Yeswhile, in Egypt, they stand out MarmoushManchester City striker and Mahmoud Trézéguetbomber dell’Al Ahly.
