By Iyunade Grace
Two countries have been knocked out of the AFCON 2025 quarter-final stage so far. Mali lost 1-0 to Senegal, with Iliman Ndiaye scoring the winning goal in the 27th minute. Mali had been reduced to 10 men in the first half after Yves Bissouma was sent off, making it tough for them to recover.
In another quarter-final match, Morocco beat Cameroon 2-0, with Brahim Diaz scoring in the 26th minute and Ismael Saibari adding a second in the 74th minute. This win takes Morocco to the semi-finals, where they’ll face the winner of Nigeria vs Algeria.
The other quarter-final matches are Egypt vs Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria vs Algeria, both taking place on January 10, 2026. These matches will determine the remaining semi-finalists.
Senegal’s win over Mali means they’ve advanced to the semi-finals, where they’ll face the winner of Egypt vs Côte d’Ivoire. Morocco’s victory over Cameroon sets up a semi-final clash with the winner of Nigeria vs Algeria.
The AFCON 2025 quarter-finals have been intense, with seven past champions making it to this stage, including Egypt, Cameroon, and Nigeria. The tournament is expected to produce more thrilling matches as it progresses .
