Morocco crowned U17 Africa Champion for the first time in its history.
Morocco’s U17 National Team Clinches First-Ever African Nations Cup Title
The Moroccan national under-17 team has made history by winning the U17 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time, held in Morocco from March 30 to April 19. The Atlas Lions triumphed over Mali in a thrilling final that concluded in a dramatic penalty shootout (4-2) after a tense regulation match that ended in a 0-0 draw.
The match took place at El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia, where the atmosphere was electric, with a large crowd of Moroccan supporters rallying behind their young champions.
Despite Mali’s solid defensive tactics and swift counterattacks, the players of head coach Nabil Baha managed to remain organized and threatening, particularly through offensive plays led by Ziade Baha, Abdellah Ouzane, and Elias Belmokhtar. Notably, Moroccan goalkeeper Chouaib Belaârouch, named the tournament’s best player, shone with his crucial saves throughout the match.
After an exhilarating final fifteen minutes, neither team could break the deadlock, leading to a nail-biting penalty shootout.
Ziade Baha opened the scoring for Morocco with a stylish shot, followed by successful penalties from Zakaria El Khelifi and Amine Wahbi. Goalkeeper Chouaib Belaârouch played a crucial role in the shootout, stopping two attempts from the Malian team. Finally, Elias Belmokhtar sealed Morocco’s historic victory by converting the last penalty, thus crowning the Moroccan U17 team as champions.
This title is a testament to the hard work of an entire generation and underscores the remarkable progress of youth football in Morocco, buoyed by an ambitious training strategy and strong public enthusiasm.
