African Coaches Dominate AFCON As They Eye Semi-Final Spots
It is encouraging to note that, of the eight teams remaining at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, six are coached by Africans, writes former Orlando Pirates DStv Diski Challenge coach Ziphozonke Dlangalala.
Even more significant is the fact that five nations — Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Egypt, Morocco and Senegal — are led by local coaches who previously represented their respective national teams.
This represents a strong vote of confidence in African coaching talent and is a development that deserves widespread praise across the continent.
Senegal, meanwhile, carry a major responsibility in their quarter-final clash against Mali. Despite not winning a single match in open play, Mali have reached the last eight, a situation that raises concern.
It would be unfortunate for the tournament if Mali were to progress to the semi-finals with such a record. Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet’s assertion that Mali can win the AFCON without an open-play victory has also sparked debate.
At this stage of the competition, the balance of power appears to favour the North African teams. However, at best, only one of them is likely to reach the final — with hosts Morocco emerging as the strongest candidate.
Another key factor is that, for both Cameroon and Nigeria, this tournament effectively represents a “World Cup year,” increasing the pressure and motivation to deliver strong performances.
Notably, Cameroon have already begun preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, fielding the same squad currently competing in Morocco — a clear indication of long-term planning and ambition.
As a result, both Cameroon and Nigeria are expected to go all out in a bid to restore pride, and could potentially face each other in a high-stakes semi-final encounter.
Predicted AFCON Semi-Finals
- Semi-final 1: Nigeria vs Cameroon
- Semi-final 2: Côte d’Ivoire vs Senegal
Should these four nations advance, the AFCON trophy would be guaranteed to remain in African hands — continuing a trend seen in recent tournaments: Djamel Belmadi (Algeria, 2019), Aliou Cissé (Senegal, 2021), and Emerse Faé (Côte d’Ivoire, 2023).
The same would apply if Walid Regragui (Morocco) or Hossam Hassan (Egypt) were to guide their nations to glory.
A weekend of high drama is expected on Friday and Saturday, with every team needing to dig deep to secure a place in the semi-finals.
Article by Ziphozonke Dlangalala
