Morocco's Atlas Lions secured a hard-fought win over Nigeria at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat on Wednesday night to progress to the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

In a game billed as a classic, the match fell short of expectations and it soon became apparent that penalties would be needed to determine the winner.

Veteran goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was the hero of the shootout, making two big saves  to deny Bruno Onyemaechi and Samuel Chukwueze from finding the back of the net.

Reigning African Footballer of the Year, Achraf Hakimi was among the Moroccan scorers in the nail-biting shootout, converting his side's fourth kick.

Speaking post-match, the Paris Saint-Germain fullback opened up about the emotions he experienced after scoring, revealing that memories of past disappointment briefly resurfaced before he slotted past Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.