Morocco beat Nigeria in a penalty shootout on Wednesday night in Rabat to advance to the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
A game dominated by the hosts from the outset ended 0-0 after the regulation 90 minutes and 30 minutes of extra-time.
Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved shootout strikes from Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi to furnish Youssef En-Nesyri with the chance to send a national team into a Cup of Nations final for the first time since 2004.
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The 28-year-old Fenerbahce striker swept home confidently past the Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali and wheeled away before he was submerged by a pile of gleeful teammates.
The Moroccans entered the game on the back of a 23-match unbeaten streak which had taken them to the top of the African rankings.
Nigeria, containing two former African footballers of the year in the shapes of Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, had been the most prolific team of the competition notching up 14 goals in their five games en route to the semi-final in Rabat.
But from the moment referee Dan Laryea blew the whistle, that dynamic duo and the rest of their accomplices were second best.
The passing that had scythed through the likes of Tunisia, Mozambique and Algeria was absent or wayward.
Akor Adams, so vibrant in previous games down the right wing was unable to link up consistently with the roving Lookman or Osimhen’s darts into space.
Starved of possession and angles reduced, the Nigerians sunk into listlessness or clumsiness on the ball.
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On a rare sortie forward after 14 minutes, Lookman forced Bounou to beat away a shot.
But it was brief interlude in the Nigerian drama of pain.
The Moroccans kept them under the cosh but failed to inflict the killer blow.
Ayoub El Kaabi could not wrap his foot around a knockdown into the penalty area after 28 minutes to get his shot away.
Brahim Diaz’s curler skimmed past the post and Abdessamad Ezzalzouli twice tested Nwabali.
The pattern remained the same throughout the second-half: Moroccan domination without incision.
In the last four minutes of extra-time, Nigeria slowed the game down seemingly happy to be still alive after so much time spent chasing shadows.
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Following the two fluffed shots, their campaign ended to the delight of the mostly Moroccan fans in the 66,000 crowd at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah.
On Sunday night at the same venue, Achraf Hakimi will attempt to become the first Morocco skipper to lift the Africa Cup of Nations trophy since 1976.
His side will face Senegal who beat Egypt 1-0 in the first semi-final in Tangier.
Sadio Mané scored the only goal of the game in the 78th minute to terminate Egypt’s attempt to brandish a record-extending eighth continental crown.
Read or Listen to this story on the RFI website.
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NAIROBI — The national futsal team have commenced training for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier tie against Namibia.
The 14-member squad reported to camp at the Kasarani Indoor Arena under the keen eye of head coach James Omondi.
Kenya play the southern Africans in the opening round of the qualifiers, with the first leg set for February 3-4, before the return tie, three days later.
Should they edge past Namibia, the home boys face Libya in the next round, with the chance to become among seven countries to join hosts Morocco at the continental competition.
Kenya have never qualified for the continental showpiece before but will be buoyed by their five-star performance at last year’s Asian Futsal Cup in Sri Lanka.
Final Squad
Mike Ochieng, Samwel Owiti, Anas Hamad, Shaban Mark, Kevin Omondi, Gift Mumo, Kelvin Odongo, Patrick Kaiser, Mohammed Hassan, Tony Kegode, Salim Abdullahi, Muthoni Newton, Lewis Ng’ang’a, Isaac Omweri,
Technical Bench
James Omondi (Head Coach), Joseph Mbugi (Assistant Coach), Patrick Nyale (Goalkeeper Trainer), Alfonce Onyango (Kit Manager), Evanson Ngugi ( Team Physio), Bruce Juma (Team Doctor), Suleiman Ngotho (Strength and Conditioning Coach),
Read the original article on Capital FM.
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Videos shared on Ukrainian social media since the weekend claim to show African nationals fighting in the ranks of the Russian army – raising fresh questions about Moscow’s overseas recruitment practices.
The footage, widely circulated online, shows black men in Russian military uniforms being humiliated, threatened or described as expendable. The language used has drawn attention to the risks faced by foreign recruits sent to the front line.
The videos have not been formally authenticated. But experts interviewed by RFI said the footage appears credible.
They added that the images match earlier investigations and expert reports suggesting African nationals – often misled during recruitment – have been deployed to some of the most dangerous areas of the battlefield.
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Accept Manage my choices ‘We come here to die’: African recruits sent to fight Russia’s war in Ukraine
‘Disposable’ troops
One video shows a visibly frightened man who identifies himself as Francis. An anti-tank mine appears to be strapped to his chest. The person filming insults him, threatens him and orders him to run forward, seemingly to draw enemy fire.
A second clip, filmed in a snowy forest, shows a group of men singing a Ugandan military song. The cameraman refers to them as “disposable”.
These scenes echo findings by Thierry Vircoulon, an associate researcher at the French Institute of International Relations, who has written a detailed analysis of Russian recruitment in Africa.
“During our study, we showed that these recruits are very often placed in units sent to the front line in the most dangerous areas,” he said.
“They are frequently used to detect Ukrainian positions. That is undoubtedly what is meant by calling them disposable – the death rate in these units is high because they are involved in the riskiest operations.”
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Bad PR for Moscow
Other videos circulating online show black soldiers in military fatigues being targeted by drones, pleading to be sent back to their home countries or giving interviews after being captured.
The footage has been shared mainly on Ukrainian platforms and serves several purposes, Vircoulon said.
“The first aim is to show that mercenaries are fighting within the Russian army,” he says. “The second is to undermine the Russian narrative that portrays Moscow as standing alongside African countries in their struggle against neocolonialism and in support of development.”
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Ukrainian authorities say between 3,000 and 4,000 Africans are currently fighting in Russian ranks. If confirmed, the figure would further complicate Russia’s efforts to present itself as a partner to the Global South rather than a power exporting war.
This has been adapted from the original article by RFI in French
Read or Listen to this story on the RFI website.
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