Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou delivered a brilliant performance to lead his team to the final of the 2025 AFCON.
The host nation of this year’s AFCON needed the reigning CAF Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year Award winner to make saves in a penalty shootout in Morocco’s semifinal clash against Nigeria and the Al-Hilal shot stopper delivered by saving attempts from Bruno Onyemaechi and Samuel Chukwueze.
Bounou’s saves got Morocco to beat Nigeria and qualify to the nation’s first AFCON final since 2004 and in an interview with Le360FR, the long tenured goalkeeper stated that,
“The team needs me and I stepped up. By the grace of God, things went smoothly for us. In three days, God willing, we will try to recover and give our best to the Moroccan public.”
Morocco’s goalkeeper #01 Yassine Bounou and Morocco’s forward #10 Brahim Diaz celebrate after winning the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) semi-final football match between Nigeria and Morocco (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images)
After an interesting well-paced game that ended goalless at the end of regulation time and extra time, Morocco triumphed with Yousef En-Neysri scoring the winning penalty. Scroll down to watch the penalty shootout.
Morocco’s players hold up Morocco’s goalkeeper #01 Yassine Bounou after winning the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) semi-final football match between Nigeria and Morocco (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images)
