Morocco Edge Côte d’Ivoire on Penalties to Reach U17 AFCON final

Hosts Morocco booked their place in the final of the Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday after edging Côte d’Ivoire 4-3 in a penalty shootout following a goalless draw in regulation time.

   Goalkeeper Chouaib Bellaarouch emerged as the hero at El Bachir Stadium, saving three spot-kicks to send the home side through. A product of the Mohammed VI Football Academy, Bellaarouch’s performance proved decisive in a tense semi-final clash.

   Morocco will face Mali in the final on Saturday, also at El Bachir Stadium.

   Mali secured their spot earlier in the day with a 2-0 win over Burkina Faso at Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca.

   The third-place play-off will be held at Stade Larbi Zaouli on Friday. Both matches are scheduled to kick off at 8pm GMT+1.

 Morocco booked their place in the semi-finals of the Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON U17) with a 3-1 victory over South Africa in the quarter-finals on Thursday at El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia.

Ismail El Aoud opened the scoring for the national team in the 13th minute, before Ziyad Baha struck twice in quick succession (61st, 62nd) to seal the win. Neo Bohloko had earlier pulled one back for South Africa in the 54th minute.

In the day’s other quarter-final, Burkina Faso cruised past Zambia with a 6-1 win at El Arbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.

Mohamed Fofana (11’), Asharaf Tapsoba (21’ pen, 77’ pen, 90’) and Halidou Diakité (58’, 68’) were on target for Burkina Faso, while Abel Nyirongo scored Zambia’s only goal in the 35th minute.

The remaining two quarter-finals will be played on Friday, with Ivory Coast taking on Senegal in Berrechid and Tunisia facing Mali in El Jadida.

The head coach of Morocco’s U17 national football team, Nabil Baha, said that the previous matches at the U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) “have boosted our confidence,” adding that “we will spare no effort to reach the semifinals.”

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday in Casablanca, ahead of the Atlas Cubs’ quarterfinal clash against South Africa, Baha said that preparations for the match are progressing smoothly, with a particular focus on analyzing their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.

Emphasizing the importance of the team’s morale in such high-stakes encounters, Baha acknowledged that the South African team is strong with several talented players.

The U17 coach expressed confidence in his players and their ability to overcome the challenge, highlighting the quality of his squad, which includes players competing at the highest levels with top clubs.

However, Baha also noted that individual talent does not guarantee victory, stressing that the team which puts forth the most effort and makes the greatest sacrifices on the field will ultimately prevail.

Morocco will face South Africa in the AFCON U17 quarterfinals on Thursday at 8:00 PM (local time) at the El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia.

Owing to their two victories over Niger and Tanzania, Morocco edged up 6.06 points to wrap up April’s ranking with 1694.24 points. Like Croatia, Morocco benefited from Uruguay and Colombia’s missteps, who both dropped two spots.

The Atlas Lions remain first place in Africa, ahead of Senegal, who dropped to 19th worldwide, with 1630.32 points.

Egypt, ranked 32nd globally, is third in Africa with 1518.79 points.
 

Here is the top ten FIFA worldwide ranking as of April 3, 2025:

1.    Argentina
    
2.    Spain (+1)
    
3.    France (-1)
    
4.    England
    
5.    Brazil
    
6.    Netherlands (+1)
    
7.    Portugal (-1)
    
8.    Belgium
    
9.    Italy
    
10.    Germany

Morocco (12th, +2) and Croatia (11th, +2) are closing in on the top 10.

The Spanish media on Wednesday highlighted Real Madrid striker Brahim Díaz and Real Sociedad defender Nayef Aguerd as the key architects of Morocco’s 2-0 victory over Tanzania in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Marca reported that Morocco continued its impressive run with another win over Tanzania, casting light on the decisive role played by Real Madrid playmaker Brahim Díaz, who scored the second goal for the Atlas Lions in this match.

In an article titled “A goal from Brahim Díaz seals another victory for Morocco,” the newspaper praised Díaz’s “spectacular performances” with the national team, noting that he has scored eight goals and provided two assists in 10 matches.

Meanwhile, Mundo Deportivo highlighted the brilliant performance of Nayef Aguerd, who, in addition to his solid defensive work, also made an impact offensively by scoring the first goal of the match.

Nayef Aguerd’s contribution was crucial in securing another victory for Morocco, bringing the Atlas Lions closer to the 2026 World Cup, showcasing his importance in coach Walid Regragui’s setup, the publication added.

With a solid and balanced defensive line, the Moroccan team continues to assert its dominance in the qualification phase, stacking up victories that have placed them in an undisputed leadership position in their group, the newspaper concluded.

 The Confederation of African Football (CAF) unveiled on Wednesday the new trophy and logo for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) U17, scheduled to take place from March 30 to April 19 in Morocco.

The launch marks a key moment in the celebration of the beginning of the journey of the young African football talents who will be taking part in this prestigious tournament, CAF says in a press release published on its website.

The concept of the new trophy is “Journey Begins”, and embodies the ambition, growth and early steps towards a “legendary” future for these players, CAF explains.

It features a road-shaped structure symbolizing the player’s path, integrated with the map of Africa, echoing the continent’s pride and unity, the same source adds.

As for the logo design, it mirrors the shape of the new AFCON U17 trophy, including its base which illustrates the structure, guidance and support provided by CAF and underlines its pivotal role in nurturing the next generation of African football stars.

A path shaped by passion, with a new identity and renewed energy, the African football body concludes.

The AFCON U17 – Morocco 2025 will also serve as a qualifying tournament for the World Cup. Africa will be represented by ten teams at this newly expanded edition, to be held in Qatar later this year.