Preview: Cameroon vs Morocco - prediction, team news, lineups

Cameroon and Morocco face off in a heavyweight quarter-final at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Friday, January 9 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

This encounter brings together two of Africa’s most storied football nations. Cameroon are five-time AFCON champions, first lifting the trophy in 1984, while Morocco remain one of the continent’s traditional powerhouses and semi-finalists at AFCON 2021.

Match preview

Cameroon secured their place in the last eight with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over South Africa in the round of 16 on 5 January in Rabat, as goals from Christian Kofane and Junior Tchamadeu put the Indomitable Lions in control before Evidence Makgopa pulled one back late for Bafana Bafana, with Cameroon holding firm despite the pressure to maintain their upward momentum.

Their knockout progression followed a solid group-stage campaign in which they collected seven points from three matches, recording a 1–0 win over Gabon, a 1–1 draw with Ivory Coast and a 2–1 comeback victory against Mozambique, with David Pagou’s side emphasising compact defensive organisation and rapid transitions to absorb pressure and strike on the counter-attack.

Those qualities were again evident against South Africa, where Cameroon controlled midfield phases early and finished clinically, with the late concession highlighting the fine margins of knockout football while also underlining the team’s resilience in decisive moments.

Historically, the Indomitable Lions remain one of Africa’s most successful international sides, boasting five AFCON titles across several decades, and although their last triumph came in 2017, their pedigree in knockout football continues to command respect.

The build-up to the tournament was far from smooth as Cameroon endured significant off-field turmoil, including the late dismissal of coach Marc Brys amid a power struggle with FECAFOOT president Samuel Eto'o, and contradictory squad announcements and the absence of key figures such as Andre Onana and Vincent Aboubakar.

When coupled with their failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, these issues threatened to derail the campaign, yet the Indomitable Lions have navigated the chaos to reach the quarter-finals and set their sights on a semi-final berth.

In AFCON head-to-head meetings, Cameroon hold the historical edge over Morocco, having never lost to them at the tournament with two wins and one draw, and although their last AFCON meeting dates back to 1992, the historical context adds intrigue to this rare finals clash.

Morocco advanced to the quarter-finals with a narrow 1–0 win over Tanzania on January 4 in Rabat, with Brahim Diaz scoring the decisive goal in the 64th minute from an assist by captain Achraf Hakimi on his return from injury to secure safe passage for the host nation.

The Atlas Lions topped Group A with seven points after recording wins over Comoros (2–0) and Zambia (3–0) alongside a 1–1 draw with Mali, finishing with a +5 goal difference while conceding just once, as their possession-based style allowed them to dominate territory and create consistent scoring opportunities with Diaz and Ayoub El Kaabi central to their attacking output.

Against Tanzania, Morocco once again controlled the contest but struggled to convert dominance into a comfortable margin until Diaz broke the deadlock, with the performance nevertheless highlighting their composure and ability to manage knockout pressure.

Historically, Morocco are chasing their first AFCON title since 1976 and entered the tournament on a world-record run of 16 consecutive wins across competitive matches and friendlies, a streak that ended with the group-stage draw against Mali but still left them unbeaten in at least 22 matches across all competitions.

While Cameroon have traditionally held the upper hand in AFCON meetings, Morocco have enjoyed more recent success in the fixture by winning the last two encounters after previously going nine matches without a victory against the Indomitable Lions.

Cameroon Africa Cup of Nations form:

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Cameroon form (all competitions):

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Morocco Africa Cup of Nations form:

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Morocco form (all competitions):

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Team News

Cameroon have one main injury concern after Darlin Yongwa was forced off midway through the first half against South Africa and replaced by Rennes defender Mahamadou Aboubakar Nagida.

David Pagou is expected to continue placing his trust in a youthful squad, with Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba, teenage striker Christian Kofane and Manchester United forward Bryan Mbeumo all playing key roles in the campaign.

Morocco will be without Azzedine Ounahi, who has been ruled out of the tournament with a leg muscle injury, although the 25-year-old Girona midfielder will remain with the squad to support his teammates, with head coach Walid Regragui has expressed confidence in the depth available despite the setback.

Hakimi has returned to full fitness after missing nearly two months through injury and provided an assist against Tanzania, despite reports that the defender and Sofyan Amrabat were absent from training earlier in the week and that Romain Saiss trained separately, with no further absences confirmed.

Cameroon possible starting lineup:

Epassy; Kotto, Tolo, Malone; Nagida, Namaso, Baleba, Ebong, Tchamadeu; Mbeumo, Kofane

Morocco possible starting lineup:

Bounou; Hakimi, Aguerd, Masina, Mazraoui; El Khannouss, Al Aynaoui, Saibari; Diaz, Ezzalzouli, El Kaabi

We say: Cameroon 1-2 Morocco

This quarter-final is expected to be finely balanced, pitting Cameroon’s tactical discipline and physical structure against Morocco’s possession-based approach and home advantage.

Cameroon’s AFCON pedigree and historical edge suggest they will pose a serious challenge, but Morocco’s form, attacking consistency and backing from the Rabat crowd give the hosts a narrow advantage in what should be a closely contested encounter.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.