Morocco's Brahim Diaz celebrates goal with teammates, including Achraf Hakimi. / Ph. IMAGO / Xinhua ‹ › Tomorrow's match against Cameroon represents a major challenge for Morocco, who have long struggled against the Indomitable Lions. Friday's quarter-final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium marks the fourth meeting between the two sides at AFCON finals level, with Cameroon still unbeaten against Morocco, having recorded two wins and one draw. It will be the first AFCON clash between the teams this century and their first meeting at the finals in 39 years, 11 months, and 29 days, according to CAF statistics. Their AFCON history dates back to 1986, when the two teams played out a 1–1 draw in the group stage. Cameroon later eliminated Morocco in the 1988 semi-finals before securing another victory in the group phase of the 1992 edition. Overall, Cameroon hold the upper hand in AFCON encounters, while Morocco have yet to register a win against the Indomitable Lions at the tournament's finals. Across all competitions, the two teams have met 13 times, with Cameroon recording six wins, five draws, and just two defeats. The Cameroonian side remained unbeaten in the rivalry from 1981 to 2017, before Morocco claimed the last two encounters, including a 2–0 victory in the AFCON 2019 qualifiers and a commanding 4–0 win in the semi-finals of the 2020 CHAN tournament. Cameroon also boast a strong record against AFCON host nations. In 13 previous matches against tournament hosts, they have posted six wins, five draws, and only two losses, remaining unbeaten in their last six such encounters. In knockout matches against host teams, Cameroon have been eliminated just once, by Egypt in the 1986 final, while previously knocking out Senegal, Morocco, Mali, Ghana, and Nigeria.
