Everything you need to know ahead of the massive Africa Cup of Nations semi-final clash between Nigeria and Morocco.
Nigeria and Morocco meet in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals at the Prince Moulay Abdullah Stadium in Rabat on Wednesday, January 14.
advertise
With a spot in Sunday’s final at stake, the tournament will feature a high-stakes clash between two high-performing teams.
The Super Eagles are in impressive form, winning all five of their games and scoring a tournament-high 14 goals.
Hosts Morocco, meanwhile, have the best defensive record in the tournament and are unbeaten at home. Both sides are confident and motivated heading into this semi-final.
Photography: Torbjorn Tande/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images
Game information
The match will be held at the Prince Moulay Abdullah Stadium in Rabat, which has a capacity of approximately 68,000 people.
The venue has already hosted several important matches during this Africa Cup of Nations, including Morocco’s quarter-final victory over Cameroon.
advertise
The stadium in the heart of the Moroccan capital is expected to be packed to capacity, with home fans eager to see the Atlas Lions reach the Africa Cup of Nations final for the first time since 2004. Nigeria, on the other hand, will rely on their attacking firepower to appease the crowd.
tee time
Kick-off time is 9pm local time (GMT+1) in Rabat, 8pm in Nigeria and the UK, and 3pm ET in the US.
Ideal weather conditions are expected, with temperatures between 15 and 17°C, light south-westerly winds and clear skies. There was no significant risk of rain, making for a comfortable night for players and fans alike.
advertise
where to watch
The game will be broadcast live on multiple platforms:
-
Nigeria: CAF TV, SuperSport, NTA Sports
-
Morocco: SNRT and Arryadia TV
-
U.K: Channel 4 and Sky Sports Football
-
us: beIN Sports and FuboTV
Team News
Nigeria: Nigeria remain unbeaten but will miss captain Wilfred Ndidi, who is suspended after another yellow card. Raphael Onyedika is expected to fill the void while Cyriel Dessers is out due to injury.
The trio of Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Akole Adams will lead the attack, with Alex Iwobi providing support in the midfield. On the defence, Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi serve as the mainstays of the defence, while Stanley Nwabali is in charge of goalkeeping.
Morocco: Morocco is led by the tournament’s top scorer Brahim Diaz, who has five goals in five games. Achraf Hakimi has recovered from a minor injury and is ready to start, but Azzedine Ounahi and Romain Saiss are still absent.
advertise
The defensive team consisting of Hakimi, Agelde, Mazraoui and Yassin Bounou only conceded once in the entire game.
Confrontation record
This will be the sixth African continental meeting between Nigeria and Morocco and the first in more than two decades. Morocco leads Nigeria by two with three wins. Their most recent meeting was in the group stage in 2004, with Morocco winning 1-0.
-
2004 African Cup of Nations Group Stage – Morocco 1-0 Nigeria
-
1980 African Cup of Nations semi-final – Nigeria 1-0 Morocco
-
1978 African Cup of Nations Group Stage – Morocco 1-0 Nigeria
-
1976 African Cup of Nations Group Stage – Morocco 3-1 Nigeria
-
1973 Friendly – ​​Nigeria 2-0 Morocco
Both teams remained undefeated and advanced to the semifinals. Nigeria is aiming to win the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since 2013, while Morocco hopes to end its 50-year wait for a second continental title.
Read more: Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals: Egypt vs Senegal preview, kick-off times, how to watch and team news
