The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco witnessed the departure of two continental giants as the quarter-final stage commenced with high-stakes drama on Friday. Mali and Cameroon saw their championship dreams evaporate following decisive defeats in the opening fixtures of the last-eight round.
These results effectively narrowed the field of contenders as the tournament moves into its penultimate phase, leaving the host nation and the Teranga Lions of Senegal to celebrate their advancement into the semi-finals.
Mali became the first casualty of the evening after suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat at the hands of a disciplined Senegalese outfit. Despite a valiant effort from the Malian midfield to control the tempo, Senegal utilized their tactical experience to secure the winning goal and neutralize Mali’s attacking threats. This exit marks a disappointing conclusion for a Malian side that many analysts had tipped as dark horses to reach the final following their impressive group stage performance.
“I’m proud of my players. We competed well against Morocco, and we leave the AFCON with our heads held high,” Cameroon coach David Pagou remarked following his team’s subsequent match.
Cameroon followed Mali out of the competition after falling 2-0 to the host nation, Morocco, in a pulsating encounter at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. The Atlas Lions leveraged their home support and clinical finishing to dismantle the five-time champions, scoring in both halves to ensure a comfortable passage to the next round. While the Indomitable Lions showed flashes of resilience in the second period, they ultimately failed to overcome the tactical organization of the Moroccan side.
“We faced some difficulties, but we came back well in the second-half, but the second goal we conceded decided the match,” Pagou admitted during his post-match assessment.
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