Morocco Clinches First U17 Africa Cup Title in Dramatic Penalty Shootout

The Moroccan players, led by Nabil Baha, approached this match with the goal of winning their first continental title, after failing in the final of the previous edition in Algeria against Senegal (1-2 loss). On its side, Mali started the match with offensive intentions, looking to score quickly.

During the first half, the Moroccan team attempted to score several times against Malian goalkeeper Sinaba. However, the strikers’ haste in finishing, whether through shots or passes in the box, prevented them from converting their chances. Mali thought they had opened the scoring in the 20th minute, but the goal was disallowed by the referee due to a handball. Both teams failed to score before halftime, mainly due to a lack of efficiency and interventions from goalkeepers Chaïb Belaârouch and Lamine Sinaba.

The second half saw both teams continue their efforts to score the elusive goal. Moroccan goalkeeper Chouaib Bellaarouch distinguished himself by stopping a clear chance for Mali. He was called upon several times in the face of Malian pressure. The Moroccan team proceeded with counter-attacks and tried to build their actions through short passes to penetrate the opposing defense.

Despite several clear opportunities, the Moroccan players failed to score, due to rushing in the final touch or facing the goalkeeper’s saves and the solidity of the Malian defense. Moroccan goalkeeper Chouaib Bellaarouch also made several important saves. The score remained 0-0 until the end of the match, leading both teams to the penalty shootout.

During this test, the Moroccan players proved more skillful, winning the shootout and, consequently, the final. This is Morocco’s first continental title in the under-17 category.