U17 World Cup: Morocco Secures Major Victory and Revives Hopes
The Moroccan U17 national team has reignited its hopes of advancing to the next round of the U17 World Cup by achieving a spectacular victory against New Caledonia, with a staggering score of 16-0. This match, held on Sunday at the Aspire Zone’s stadium No. 1 in Doha for the third and final day of Group B, was characterized by a complete domination by the Atlas Lion Cubs.
With a tailored lineup for this crucial match, the young Moroccans quickly set the pace. In just the 3rd minute, Bilal Sokrat opened the scoring, setting the tone for a game that was largely under their control. Abdelali Eddaoudi followed suit in the 4th minute, and Ilyas El Arbaoui added to the tally in the 6th minute. Oualid Ben Saleh then stretched the lead in the 11th minute and netted a brace by the 18th minute, thanks to a precise assist from Eddaoudi.
New Caledonia, overwhelmed by Morocco’s relentless pressing, found themselves in a tight spot after two consecutive expulsions: Typhan Dreuko in the 23rd minute, followed by Jean Canehmez in the 33rd. With a numerical advantage, the Lion Cubs intensified their offensive efforts, scoring additional goals from Eddaoudi (41st, 42nd), Ilyas Hidaoui (44th), and Ziad Baha (45+2nd).
Upon returning from the break, the Moroccan team continued with the same attacking tempo. Zakari El Khalfioui (48th) and Ziad Baha (50th) quickly added to the score. Nahel Haddani then struck twice (56th, 60th), followed by Abdellah Ouazane (73rd), an own goal by Steevy Andrew (76th), Ismail El Aoud (80th, 90th), and once again Ouazane (90+2nd) to complete this offensive spectacle.
This resounding victory, controlled from start to finish, allows the U17 Morocco team to demonstrate that their two previous defeats were merely a bump in the road. The Atlas Lion Cubs have thus delivered a benchmark performance that revitalizes their ambitions in this World Cup.
