Sensational Nigeria came back from three goals down to beat Morocco 4-3 and qualify for the semi-final of CHAN on Saturday.
They will now clash with the winners of the quarterfinal between Ghana and DR Congo.
After half an hour of parity, Morocco took the lead when Moshine Moutaouali chipped over Chigozie Agbim in the 33rd minute.
Danger man Iajour doubled Morocco’s advantage four minutes later when his free kick from the edge of the box beat Agbim with his defensive wall clay-footed.
And five minutes later, Nigeria paid for the indiscipline in their defence when Moutaouali was freed from inside the box and he shot past the Nigeria goalkeeper.
Ugonna Uzochukwu pulled a goal back four minutes after the break when he toe-poked the ball from the top of the box.
Rabiu Ali then scored Nigeria’s second goal on 56 minutes as he smashed home from the edge of the goal area. It was his third goal of the tournament.
Ejike Uzoenyi completed a remarkable Nigerian comeback when he struck on the stroke of 90 minutes with a superb shot from outside the box.
Substitute Aliyu Ibrahim grabbed the winner for Nigeria in the 11th minute when he latched on to a spill by Morocco skipper Nabil Lamyarheri
Morocco, who started as many as six players from Raja Casablanca, gave early warning of their intentions within a minute of this quarterfinal when Iajour tested the reflexes of Agbim from inside the goal area.
At the other end of the pitch, Azubuike Egwuekwe saw his header off a corner miss target as Morocco again came close to getting the opening goal after 15 minutes, but somehow the Super Eagles defence cleared the danger.
Nigeria striker Ifeanyi Ede raced clear of the Morocco defence in the 17th minute after a great piece of control, but his final effort was off target.
Iajour then flashed his shot wide off the mark with a diving Agbim well beaten on 28 minutes.
After Morocco’s first goal, Nigeria responded immediately.
First, Ede fired over the bar from inside the box and moments later Gbolahan Salami missed even when well inside the Morocco 18-yard box.
In the second half, Ede would have drawn Nigeria level at 3-3 in the 61st minute, but poor decision making by the Enyimba striker meant it was not to be.
Agbim then denied Abdessamad Rafik Morocco’s fourth goal a minute later when he pushed for corner a goal-bound header.
Soon after Uzoenyi’s sensational leveller, both sides had a chance to finish off this game but they could not as the match dragged into extra-time.
In first half extra-time, both teams had chances to get the go-ahead goal.
In the 100th minute, Rabiu Ali flashed his header off an Uzoenyi cross and four minutes later, Iajour missed a sitter for the Atlas Lions with Agbim fully committed.
Both teams tried to carve chances in the second half, but Nigeria held out to reach the last four.
Morocco (3) (3) 3 (Moutaouali 33’ 40’, Iajour 37’)
Nigeria (0) (3) 4 (Uzochukwu 49’, Ali 56’, Uzoenyi 90’, Ibrahim 111’)
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