Atlas Lions Set to Conquer: Morocco Names a Strong XI for Nigeria Showdown
14 January 2026
Lineups and Stakes
Walid Regragui, head coach of the Moroccan national team, unveiled the Atlas Lions lineup for the semi-final clash with Nigeria, scheduled for Wednesday evening at the Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex, as AFCON 2025 reaches its decisive stage.
The Moroccan camp stuck with the same starting XI that opened the quarterfinal win over Cameroon, with no changes from the side that impressed in the last round.
Morocco's Official Lineup
Goalkeeper: Yassine Bounou
Defence: Achraf Hakimi, Nayef Aguerd, Adam Masina, Noussair Mazraoui
Midfield: Nayel Ainawi, Bilal Knnous, Ismail Sibari
Attack: Abdel-Samad Zalzouli, Ayoub El Kaabi, Ibrahim Diaz
Substitutes: Sufian Amrabat, Hamza Ekman, Sufian Rahimi, Munir Mohamadi, Mehdi Harar, Elias Ben Saghir, Osama Targhalin, Mohammed Shebi, Elias Akhomash, Jawad El-Yamig, Youssef Nsiri, Shamsuddin Talbi, Anas Salahuddin, Abdel-Hamid Ait Bodlal, Youssef Belamri
Nigeria's Official Lineup
Goalkeeper: Noabi Li
Defence: Onimaiti, Basse, Ajayi, Samuel
Midfield: EyoBi, Onedika, Onika
Attack: Lukman, Adams, Osimen
Morocco enters the match high on confidence, benefiting from home support, as they chase a place in the final and a second continental title in their history, amid a glow of big crowd expectations.
By contrast, Nigeria aim to spoil the hosts' party, relying on the experience of their seasoned players in knockout ties to seize a place in the final and push for Africa's crown.
Context and Outlook
The clash pits a Moroccan side buoyed by venue advantage and a long-standing AFCON pipeline against a Nigerian lineup eager to upset the odds and reach the final for a chance at glory.
Punchlines aside, the stage is set for a tactical duel that could shape the rest of the tournament’s narrative.
