Morocco have announced themselves as serious contenders at the Africa Cup of Nations, reaching the semi-finals for the first time in 22 years with a commanding 2-0 victory over Cameroon on Friday. The win also raises hopes of ending a 50-year wait for a second AFCON title.

Coach Walid Regragui described the performance as one of their best since Morocco’s historic run to the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar, where they became the first African nation to reach the last four.

Despite entering the tournament as favourites, the hosts had looked uneasy in their opening matches, burdened by expectation. However, in Friday’s quarter-final in Rabat, Morocco displayed intensity and control, pressing aggressively, winning possession, and spending most of the game on the front foot. Cameroon were restricted to only a few half-chances.

“The first half was probably the best we’ve played since the World Cup,” Regragui said. “We created opportunities quickly, a lot of corners, and our opening goal came from a set piece. The win was deserved, even though things evened out a bit in the second half.”

Morocco opened the scoring when Ayoub El Kaabi’s header was guided into the net off Brahim Diaz, before Ismael Saibari sealed the win in the 74th minute. The squad celebrated the victory with visible relief, having carried the weight of expectation throughout the tournament.

As hosts, Morocco have invested heavily in presenting a showpiece tournament, ahead of their co-hosting duties for the 2030 World Cup with Portugal and Spain. While consistently Africa’s top-ranked team for the past four years, Morocco has a modest AFCON history, winning the tournament only once in 1976.

Regragui has repeatedly reminded both players and supporters to remain grounded, emphasizing humility despite their strong performances. “We need to just keep going one game at a time. We have not done anything yet,” he said after the win.

Morocco will discover their semi-final opponent on Saturday, following the outcome of Algeria’s clash with Nigeria in Marrakesh.