It will be a battle of “Lions” as Africa’s top-ranked teams, the Atlas Lions of Morocco and Senegal’s Lions of Teranga, face off in the AFCON final after the hosts beat Nigeria 4-2 on penalties.
In a dramatic Africa Cup of Nations 2025 semi-final at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah in Rabat, Morocco edged Nigeria 4-2 on penalties after a tense 0-0 stalemate through extra time. The hosts’ victory booked them a place in the AFCON final against Senegal.
The match was a cagey tactical battle, with both sides creating few clear scoring chances. Nigeria’s Super Eagles, unbeaten in the tournament, were thwarted by a disciplined Moroccan defence and inspired goalkeeping from Yassine Bounou. Morocco, buoyed by a passionate crowd, pressed intermittently but could not break through a resilient Nigerian backline.
With the score locked after 120 minutes, the fate of the semi-final came down to penalties. Morocco opened the shootout with Neil El Aynaoui converting calmly to give the hosts an early lead. Nigeria responded as Paul Onuachu struck his spot-kick into the bottom left corner, keeping parity.
The momentum shifted as Morocco’s Hamza Igamane saw his penalty saved by Nigeria keeper Stanley Nwabali, and Nigeria’s Samuel Chukwueze also had his attempt denied by Bounou, keeping both teams level after two rounds.
Morocco regained the edge when Eliesse Ben Seghir confidently converted, followed by Fisayo Dele-Bashiru slotting home for Nigeria, bringing the shootout to 2-2.
In the crucial final kicks, Achraf Hakimi struck to make it 3-2 for Morocco before Nigeria’s Bruno Onyemaechi saw his attempt miss, sealing the victory for the hosts and sending the home crowd into raptures.
The dramatic win ends Nigeria’s run in the tournament and sends Morocco through to their first AFCON final in decades, where they will face a strong Senegal side.
The win sets up a mouth-watering final against Senegal, who earlier edged Egypt in the other semi-final. Morocco now chase their first Africa Cup of Nations crown since 1976, while Nigeria, last crowned champions in 2013, saw their gallant run halted just shy of the title decider.
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<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/a-quebec-flag-right-a-stack-of-money.jpg?id=61453954&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=97%2C0%2C98%2C0"/><br/><br/><p><a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410006301&pickMembers%5B0%5D=1.6&pickMembers%5B1%5D=2.2&pickMembers%5B2%5D=3.1&pickMembers%5B3%5D=5.1&pickMembers%5B4%5D=6.1&cubeTimeFrame.startMonth=03&cubeTimeFrame.startYear=2025&cubeTimeFrame.endMonth=07&cubeTimeFrame.endYear=2025&referencePeriods=20250301%2C20250701" target="_blank">Statistics Canada's newest numbers</a> on average pay by industry in Quebec show exactly <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/average-salary-quebec-canada-2025" target="_blank">how much workers in different sectors are earning</a> — and there are some big surprises in the rankings.</p><p>The updated report isn't focused on individual job titles like "surgeon" or "software developer." Instead, the data breaks down hourly wages across major industries, covering both full- and part-time employees. That means each category includes a wide range of roles and salaries, from entry-level to senior management, with big differences depending on overtime, schedules and union coverage.</p><p>While jobs in medicine, law, or engineering often top people's lists for high salaries, the data show that working in those fields doesn't guarantee the biggest paycheck. In some industries, earnings are higher across the board, regardless of job title, offering insight into where your skills could pay off the most.</p><p>Here's how every industry in Quebec stacked up in July 2025, ranked by average hourly wage (lowest to highest).</p><h3>Accommodation & food services</h3><br/><p>Average hourly wage: $20.64</p><p>Restaurants, hotels, catering and bars all fall into this category. At $20.64 an hour, it's the lowest-paying sector in Quebec — but it's also a key employer for students, part-time workers and people looking to build customer service experience.</p><h3>Agriculture</h3><br/><p>Average hourly wage: $22.85</p><p>From farms and orchards to fisheries and greenhouses, agriculture saw one of the biggest month-to-month drops in July, down from $24.93 in June. Seasonal work and fluctuating hours can have a big impact on earnings here.</p><h3>Wholesale & retail trade</h3><br/><p>Average hourly wage: $26.77</p><p>This includes wholesalers selling in bulk to businesses and retailers selling directly to consumers. The gap between the lowest and highest earners can be huge, thanks to everything from minimum-wage retail jobs to high-commission sales roles.</p><h3>Business, building & other support services</h3><br/><p>Average hourly wage: $27.04</p><p>This broad category covers services like cleaning, security, staffing, call centres and administrative support. While pay is on the lower end, it's a diverse sector with plenty of entry points.</p><h3>Other services (except public administration)</h3><br/><p>Average hourly wage: $30.26</p><p>Think repair shops, pet grooming, non-profits, laundry services and more. Pay here tends to vary depending on specialization and client base.</p><h3>Health care & social assistance</h3><br/><p>Average hourly wage: $31.72</p><p>Hospitals, clinics, elder care, childcare and social services are included here. While most doctors make way more than $32 an hour, the field mixes high-paying specialized medical roles with lower-paid care and support jobs.</p><h3>Transportation & warehousing</h3><br/><p>Average hourly wage: $31.93</p><p>Covers everything from airlines and public transit to trucking, shipping and storage. Quebec's size and trade links keep this industry in demand.</p><h3>Information, culture & recreation</h3><br/><p>Average hourly wage: $32.35</p><p>Film, publishing, broadcasting, museums, gyms and sports facilities all fit here. It's a sector where a handful of top earners can skew the average.</p><h3>Manufacturing</h3><br/><p>Average hourly wage: $35.44</p><p>Factories and plants producing goods from cars to pharmaceuticals make up this sector. Stable demand and union coverage help keep wages competitive.</p><h3>Construction</h3><br/><p>Average hourly wage: $37.50</p><p>Residential, commercial and infrastructure projects, plus trades like plumbing and electrical, fall here. Skilled labour shortages have kept pay strong.</p><h3>Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil & gas</h3><br/><p>Average hourly wage: $38.16<br/>Physically demanding and often remote, these jobs remain some of the best-paid in Quebec despite monthly fluctuations.</p><h3>Public administration</h3><br><p><br/>Average hourly wage: $43.73</p><p>Federal, provincial and municipal government jobs make up this sector, known for stability, benefits and competitive pay.</p><h3>Finance, insurance, real estate & leasing</h3><br><p>Average hourly wage: $43.76</p><p>Banks, insurers, mortgage brokers, real estate firms and rental companies are all in this category, which consistently ranks near the top in wages.</p><h3>Professional, scientific & technical services</h3><br/><p>Average hourly wage: $44.16</p><p>Legal services, accounting, engineering, IT, consulting and design are part of this diverse field, where pay varies widely depending on specialization.</p><h3>Educational services</h3><br/><p>Average hourly wage: $45.19</p><p>Schools, colleges, universities and training programs fall here. Pay is relatively even across the board compared to other industries.</p><p>In July, the median weekly wage rose 3.57% year-over-year to $1,449.98, with the hourly rate up 3.31% to $40.90. Wages also jumped 8.56% from June, suggesting summer jobs in this sector, though fewer, tend to pay more.</p><h3>Utilities</h3><br/><p>Average hourly wage: $54.13</p><p>Electricity, natural gas, water and sewage services top the list as Quebec's highest-paying industry. Wages here are among the most consistent, with fewer extreme gaps between roles.</p></br></br><p><em>Love this? Check out our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/notices/" target="_blank">MTL Blog noticeboard</a> for details on jobs, benefits, travel info and more!</em></p><p><em>AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of MTL Blog's Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/editorial-standards" target="_blank">Editorial Standards page</a>.</em></p><p><em>This story was adapted from an <a href="nada-2025" target="_blank">August 11 article</a> that was originally published on Narcity.</em></p>