AFCON 2025 Semi-Final Preview: Investigating Senegal, Egypt, Morocco & Nigeria – Data Analysis

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has reached its dramatic semi-final stage in Morocco, with four of the continent’s elite sides still in contention for the premier African international football crown.

The semi-finalists confirmed are Senegal, Egypt, Morocco and Nigeria, following thrilling quarter-final ties that showcased both individual brilliance and tactical depth across the tournament.

Senegal edged Mali 1–0 to secure their place, building on a tournament characterised by disciplined defensive work and incisive forward play.

Egypt, the continent’s most successful nation with a record seven AFCON titles, booked their semi-final clash with Senegal by eliminating the defending champions Côte d’Ivoire in a five-goal classic.

Hosts Morocco advanced with a strong 2–0 win over Cameroon, while Nigeria’s Super Eagles overcame Algeria to complete the quartet.

In this AFCON data analysis, we will explore key performance metrics from across AFCON 2025, including passing networks, defensive solidity, and individual player impact, to evaluate how these teams reached the final four and which players have driven their success.

Pressing Patterns Of 2025 AFCON Semi‑Finalists: How They Engineered Their Path

In AFCON 2025, PPDA has emerged as a key metric in analysing pressing intensity and defensive strategy across the continent.

Lower PPDA values indicate proactive ball recovery and high pressing, while higher figures reflect structured defensive setups.

Understanding these dynamics offers insight into how African teams engineer possession, disrupt opponents, and shape match control.

AFCON 2025 Pressing Intensity (PPDA) (Lower PPDA Is Higher Pressing Intensity)

Nigeria’s route to the last four was underpinned by one of the most aggressive pressing systems in the tournament.

With one of the lowest PPDA values (6.6), the Super Eagles constantly hunt the ball high up the pitch, forcing turnovers around the opponent’s build‑up zones and launching swift transitions into attack.