Senegal and Morocco have booked their spots in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semifinals following victories over Mali and Cameroon, respectively.
Ilman Ndiaye was the hero for Senegal as he scored the only goal of the match in the 27th minute from very close range in the center of the goal after the Malians failed to clear their lines.
Mali faced a major blow just before the break when midfielder Yves Bissouma was shown a red card for a bad foul following a second yellow card.
Senegal held onto their lead in the second half to secure their victory and reach the semifinals for the seventh time as they chase their second AFCON title.
The Teranga Lions will now face the winner between Egypt and Ivory Coast on January 14.
Morocco reach first semifinal in 22 years
In the second quarterfinal match on Friday, Brahim Diaz and Ismael Saibari each scored a goal, one in the first half and the other in the second, sending Morocco to the semifinals for the first time since 2004.
Morocco dominated against Cameroon and created multiple chances that didn’t result in goals; however, Cameroon reorganized themselves in the second half and appeared more confident going forward.
Just when it looked like they were going to equalize, Saibari’s strike in the 74th minute, following a poorly cleared corner, sealed the victory for the hosts.
Morocco, chasing their first AFCON title since 1976, will wait for the winner between Nigeria and Algeria for a spot in the final.
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