[The African Cup of Nations[/b] (CAN) is back for its ninth edition.
After two consecutive triumphs, Morocco will be defending its title. Which African nation will succeed in dethroning them?

[African federations are invited to register their teams for this new edition.

Reminder: Still true to our Golden Rule: No tactical restrictions. Each coach is free to play according to his or her own vision of the game.

Registration is now open and will remain so until Sunday 4 January 2026, 23:00 (VF time).

Federation: MOROCCO
Coach: Raito
Rules : read and approved

10 FEDERATIONS registered, 26 hours before CAS. I would like to REMIND you that No friendly matches must be organised.

Happy CAN

The registration deadline has passed
- 10 participating Federations
- 2 Groups [ A & B ] of 5 teams
- 2 Qualified Nations from each Group
- A1[/b] vs B2 & B1 vs A2[/b
- Semi-final & FINAL

Good luck Managers

Hi Managers;
Before publishing the CAS results this evening. I have the honour of reminding you of the African Federations participating in this Edition, which are:
ALGERIA, ANGOLA, BENIN, CONGO, CÔTE D'IVOIRE, MOROCCO, MAURITANIA, NIGERIA, RWANDA, ZAMBIA.

CAS (without orientation) gave the 2 GROUPS as indicated below:



GOOD LUCK

[●DAY 1●]
The competition kicked off with four hard-fought matches.

1 - Maghreb Derby:
Everyone expected a close, tactical encounter. Against all expectations, the game was open between the Mauritanian Mourabitounes and the Algerian Greens. A balancing act gave the Mauritanians an impressive 1-0 victory, giving them confidence for the rest of the competition.

2 - The defending champions showed their ambitions right from the start: The defending champions warned all their opponents that they were ready to retain the trophy. After dominating the game with a series of short, quick passes, the Atlas Lions claimed a deserved 1-0 victory. The Rwandan team, meanwhile, will have to rethink their strategy.

3 - An entertaining match full of twists and turns: The match was lively and wide-open, but above all marked by set-pieces. Zambia opened the scoring thanks to some effective pressing, before doubling their lead from a free-kick. The Congolese were quick to respond, but it was not enough to pull a goal back. A 2-1 victory for the Chipolopolos.

4 - Green-card defeat for failure to comply with match notification rules: Despite repeated reminders to comply with match notification rules, Côte d'Ivoire made an administrative error. They lost the match to Nigeria on the green carpet.

C L A S S E M E N T

[▪︎DAY 02▪︎]

The second day of the CAN saw the entry of two selections, after having been rested during J01: Benin and Angola.

- The Beninese struck hard, winning by a clear 3-0 scoreline. Against a Rwandan team that has been struggling in this competition for the last two editions. Benin gave their opponents no chance.

- The match between Angola and Mauritania was balanced at every level. From the outset, the Mourabitounes showed their attacking intent, but the Palancas Negras managed to solidify their defence, forming a real "bus" to keep any danger at bay. Unexpectedly, it was the dismissal of an Angolan player that galvanised his team, allowing them to score the only goal of the victory.

- This second matchday offers an opportunity for Algeria and Congo to make amends. The match itself was hotly contested, with few clear-cut chances despite the Greens' slight dominance. It was not until the 75th minute that Algeria scored the only goal of the game. This Congolese defeat now calls for urgent action on the part of the team's technical staff to put things right.

- On the strength of this second victory, the Atlas Lions are confident of retaining their trophy. Against them, Côte d'Ivoire never found their rhythm or their usual level of play. The Moroccans dominated the entire game, and the result was a 1-0 victory.

C L A S S E M E N T

> **Raito**:
> [▪︎JOURNÉE 02▪︎]
>
> La deuxième journée de la CAN a vu l’entrée en lice de deux sélections, après avoir été en repos lors de la J01 : le Bénin et l’Angola.
>
> - Les Béninois ont frappé fort, s’imposant sur un score net de 3-0. Face à une équipe Rwandaise en difficulté dans cette compétition depuis deux éditions. Le Bénin n’a laissé aucune chance à son adversaire.
>
> - Le match entre l’Angola et la Mauritanie a été équilibré à tous les niveaux. Dès le c...

Cool sa des rencontres assez palpantes sa fait plaisir

[▪︎DAY 3▪︎]

The third day of the competition was marked by an abundance of goals scored and some impressive displays of efficiency.

[Experienced Angola crushes Congo in perdition[/b]: Angola showed surgical precision, scoring one goal for every two chances created, inflicting a real "shipwreck" on Congo, who were playing for their last chance of qualification with a final score of 6-0 for Angola.

[Algeria follow up with a bang: The Algerians confirmed their attacking prowess with two magnificent goals in a second solid victory over an unimpressive Zambian side.

[Victory by forfeit: Benin advance[/b], winning their match "on the green carpet". The Ivorian team's failure to comply with organisational regulations led to their forfeit, giving Benin victory and points without playing.

[Nigeria's remarkable comeback against Morocco:[/b] The match offered a breathtaking scenario. Just as the Moroccans thought they had won, the Nigerian Super Eagles staged a spectacular comeback in the second half.
First they reduced the deficit, then snatched a last-gasp equaliser in the 88th minute, settling the final score at a draw (2-2).


C L A SS E M E N T

[-DAY 04 -]

Decisive Day for the Majority

- i]A bitter defeat for Algeria:[/i] the Fennecs, determined to win to ensure qualification, dominated the match but lacked realism against Angola.
- Angola, unbeatable:[/u][/i] the Palancas Negras, aiming for a third clean sheet, confirmed their supremacy by scoring the only goal of the game early in the second half.
[Final score: Algeria 0 - 1 Angola[/b].
________

The match was statistically balanced, with each team dominating one half.
- u]Mauritania's advantage in the first half:[/u] the Mourabitounes took the ascendancy from the outset, controlling the midfield and exerting strong attacking pressure, which enabled them to open the scoring.
- i]Zambia's ineffective response:[/i] Zambia responded strongly in the second half, creating several chances but failing to convert them.
[Final score: Mauritania beat Zambia 1-0[/b].
________

[A three-team competition got underway, with a clash between two teams with experience of this cup[/i].
- Morocco[/b], playing their last match before watching the results of matchday five, got off to a good start, culminating in a spectacular goal. However, just before the break, Benin managed to equalise.
The second half saw an intense tactical battle and open play, allowing Benin to take the lead. Five minutes before the final whistle, the Atlas Lions came back to score, sealing the result with a 2-2 draw.
__________

Nigeria[/b] were considered one of the favourites to qualify, against a Rwandan team playing without pressure.
Despite the Rwanda opening the scoring, the Super Eagles staged a spectacular comeback. They scored two goals in the last five minutes of the match.
[Final score: Rwanda 1 - 2 Nigeria[/b].

[C L A SS E M E N T :[/u][/b

DAY 05

-GROUP A:[/b] While Algeria were hoping for a miracle and for their rivals to slip up, Mauritania created a sensation by resisting the pressure to qualify with a historic win. This success propels the Mauritanians into the next round alongside Angola, who had a faultless campaign crowned by a clear 2-0 victory over Zambia. If these two nations are happy, it's the end of the road for Algeria, Zambia and Congo.

-GROUP B:[/b] This group is bearing the full brunt of major organisational errors. These allowed Benin and Rwanda to beat Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire on paper. On the other hand, logic prevailed for Morocco, who have already secured their place in the next round.

C L A SS E M E N T

-[- SEMI-FINALS -]-

[Two clashes[/b] on the programme for these Semi-Finals :
ANGOLA[/b] take on MOROCCO[/b] in the first match.


followed by a clash between BENIN and MAURITANIA.

The referee raises his whistle to his mouth.
Here we are, at the end of this African Cup of Federations semi-final:
Angola - Morocco (https://www.virtuafoot.com/#match?mid=6662483) ...
90 minutes and no goals in regulation time: 0-0 ...
Despite numerous Moroccan chances, Angola goalkeeper Nsimba Vetokele (N. Vetokele) kept his goal intact.
His team-mates congratulated him and patted him on the shoulder, as he would be called upon again in the penalty shoot-out.
At the other end of the pitch, Moroccan goalkeeper Mimoun Bajjou is concentrating (M. Bajjou); little used for 90 minutes, he is back in form for this penalty shoot-out.
penalty shoot-out. His team-mates are ready ...


3-3 in the first 5 penalties!

The suspense is unbearable, now it's time for sudden death !!!!
The players from both teams form a line, holding each other by the shoulders on the halfway line.


With the 8th penalty kick, the Angolan player stepped up and deceived Mimoun Bajjou with a shot into the top right corner.
Making way for the Moroccan player, he positioned his ball on the penalty spot, took 3 steps forward... He aims for the top right-hand corner too ...
OH! Nsimba Vetokele had read the trajectory well, he spread himself ... and deflected the ball with the tip of his glove!
The Angolan players rejoice: ANGOLA will play in the final of the CAN of Federations !!!
Morocco, double holders of the title, are defeated ...

[Nsimba Vetokele[/b] is the great hero of this semi-final, he grabs a flag and joins the Palancas Negras[/b] supporters in the stadium.



[Final result:[/u]
Angola 0 (8) - Morocco 0 (7)

VAR images:

[▪︎ SEMI-FINAL ▪︎]

It's off to a hot semi-final between two major African football nations. Without a moment's hesitation, the Beninese set an intense tempo from the first quarter of an hour. However, a twist of fate -a forced substitution followed by a red card- completely disrupted the Cheetahs' coach's plans. The Mourabitounes took advantage of the situation to take control of the game, dominating proceedings but failing to capitalise on their chances. [The result was a goalless draw at the final whistle, and it was time for the fateful penalty shoot-out.

The penalty shoot-out saw a masterful performance from the Mauritanian goalkeeper. By heroically denying three consecutive attempts by the Gabonese players, he dashed the opposition's hopes and propelled his side to victory (4-2). Thanks to this unshakeable bulwark, Mauritania have secured a historic qualification and will now meet Angola in what promises to be an electric CAN FINAL.

○●{ THE FINAL }○●

Time for the Grand Final.

On the back of a series of victories without conceding a single goal, the Palancas Negras take on a determined Murabitounes, who have sacrificed everything to reach this stage.

Against all the odds, Mauritania caused a sensation by scoring the fastest goal in the history of the competition's finals: a masterfully executed free-kick in just 70 seconds. The Angolan coach made two tactical changes in the 35th minute to liven up his attack.

This coaching paid off in the second half with a textbook equaliser. Mauritania's reaction was immediate: Bakayoko restored their lead. With his back against the wall, the Black Antelopes coach launched another wave of changes. The gamble paid off, with substitute Simplice equalising before scoring a historic brace in the 87th minute. This goal of the remontada gave Angola victory and their very first title at this 9th edition of the CAN.

[Congratulations to the Angolans!