U-17 AFCON
Cameroon’s Yondjo wants to beat Victor Osimhen’s record
“I watch all his matches, I follow him on Instagram, I download his videos to learn about his movements, the state of mind he brings to the group, his fighting spirit, his leadership when he is on the field, and so on
-Dorinel Yondjo!
Cameroonian striker Dorinel Yondjo does not hide his ambitions. He wants to score at least five goals at the U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Algeria 2023, and beat the record set by Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, who scored four and won the golden boot in 2015.
Yondjo believes he has what it takes to set a new mark, and he is confident in his abilities and that of the team, that they can make history together in Algeria.
“Coming to this competition, to tell you the truth, I did some research to know the very recent top scorers of this tournament. I realized that the best had never exceeded four goals and I will try to work to break this record,” the striker said, adding that he is inspired by Osimhen’s story and keeps tabs of his club and country performances.
“I have followed the story of Victor (Osimhen). After shining with Nigeria during the 2015 U17 AFCON and the FIFA World Cup, he signed for Wolfsburg in Germany and my dream is also to be able to sign for a big club after this competition,” he said.
Yondjo is not just inspired by Osimhen alone, but also Real Madrid and France forward, Karim Benzema.
“I watch all his matches, I follow him on Instagram, I download his videos to learn about his movements, the state of mind he brings to the group, his fighting spirit, his leadership when he is on the field, and so on,”
“I really hope to play for this club (Real Madrid) one day because they are fabulous. Each season, they show that it is the best club in the world and that motivates me to pursue my dream of playing in this team one day,” said the young forward.
Yondjo is one of the players who the Cameroonian public has huge faith ahead of the tournament.
The young striker is personally aware of this and seems to have prepared accordingly.
“With these expectations, I am ready to respond. It is my duty as a striker since I showed during the UNIFFAC tournament who I am and I understand that the people have expectations of me in this competition here in Algeria,” he said, speaking to CAFONline.com.
The faith placed in him is entirely justified.
Since the beginning of his adventure with the U17 team, the center-forward of the Cameroon Brasseries Football School (EFBC) has always been able to step up when called upon.
Yondjo was the X factor of the Cubs during the qualification tournament of the UNIFFAC zone played in January in Limbe.
He scored twice and assisted once in the 4-0 win over CAR and then played another starring role with a goal and an assist in a 2-0 win over Congo. The returns enabled him finish as the tournament’s top scorer and Most Valuable Player.
The striker also showed his qualities during friendly matches played by the Cameroonian team in their pre-tournament camp in Sousse, Tunisia.
The question now is, can he replicate the form at the tournament where Cameroon hope to retain the title and book a ticket to the World Cup?
“Personally, I want to give everything to move the team forward. I want to help the team and also individually, try to win the Golden Boot award. Teamwork will be crucial in this if we are all to achieve our goals,” the striker said.
He has admitted there is pressure, not just on himself but the team as well, but notes he has taken it positively
“Being the defending champion is not easy and we came here with good motivation to be able to retain our trophy,” he added.
Cameroon have been drawn in a tough Group C where they will tackle Mali and Burkina Faso, two teams who have already won the U17 title.
U-17 AFCON
Bitter-sweet for Golden Eaglets, wins WAFU 3rd place but miss U17 AFCON
![NFF Searches For New Coach For Golden Eaglets -](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/NFF-Searches-For-New-Coach-For-Golden-Eaglets.jpg)
The Confederation of African Football has clarified that next year’s Africa U17 Cup of Nations will still have 12 finalists in attendance, as against the minimum of 16 teams being projected by African football enthusiasts.
This means that despite defeating host nation Ghana in Tuesday’s third-place match of the WAFU B U17 Championship, the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria have not qualified for the finals.
“The final tournament will still have 12 teams,” CAF’s Director of Competitions, Samson Adamu, told thenff.com.
Expectations had been high among African football aficionados that the 2025 Africa U17 Cup of Nations would be expanded, following FIFA’s allocation, at its Congress in Bangkok, penultimate week, of 10 slots to the continent for the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup that Qatar has been designated to host.
Qatar will host five consecutive FIFA U17 World Cup finals beginning next year, each having 48 teams in attendance.
U-17 AFCON
Morocco honour U17 team at sumptuous Mohammed VI Football Complex
The Moroccan team was honoured with a warm reception at the luxurious Cinema hall of the Mohammed V! Football Complex after arriving back home from Algeria, where they finished second at the U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The team, led by their coach Said Chiba were hosted to a reception at the Mohamed V Complex in Casablanca, hosted by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation boss Fouzi Lekjaa
Morocco had a historic run in Algeria, qualifying to the final for the first time ever, but fell at the final hurdle with defeat to Senegal in last Friday’s final in Algiers.
A message from the Moroccan King was also delivered to the players, praising them for their exceptional performance as well as qualification for the World Cup.
“It is with great joy that We extend to you Our warmest congratulations for the exceptional feat you have achieved by reaching the final of the Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations and ensuring your well-deserved qualification for the 2023 World Cup,” the message said.
The King further added; “These performances honor this country’s football. I am proud of the remarkable maturity and discipline, the fine performance, the great competitive spirit and the high well-established behavior of the team.”
Meanwhile, Lekjaa was delighted that investments made over the years for the development of football in the country are finally starting to bear fruit.
At the same time, head coach Chiba was delighted with the support the team received while in Algeria, saying it gave them the motivation to battle for their dreams.
He says the results in Algeria were as a result of teamwork, discipline and hard work, tenets he says were a pillar for their success. Chiba now says the team needs to build on these performances for future assignments, including the World Cup.
U-17 AFCON
Five over Five as Senegal sweep all Africa football titles
* Africa Cup of Nations 2021 – won on 6 February 2022 in Cameroon
*African Beach Soccer 2022 – won in Mozambique on 21 October 2022
*African Nations Championship – won in Algeria on 4 February 2023 in Algeria
*African U-20 Cup Nations – won in Egypt on 11 March 2023
*African U-17 Cup of Nations – won in Algeria on 19 May 2023
All the five national teams’ football titles have been won by Senegal. Apart from the Beach Soccer titles which have always been won by Senegal, their victories in the other four competitions were the first.
This is unprecedented in the continent. The fifth title, was attained Friday night when Mamadou Sawane headed home the winning goal seven minutes from time as Senegal scored twice in four minutes to come from a goal down and beat Morocco 2-1 to clinch their first ever U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in a dramatic finale at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers.
Skipper Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal had given Morocco a 14th minute lead, one they kept until the 79th minute when Serigne Falou Diouf scored a VAR awarded penalty.
Sawane towered the entire defense to head home four minutes later, completing the hard-earned turnaround for the Teranga Cubs.
Senegal has now won a third consecutive continental title within four months, their team of local based players having won the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) title in February at the same venue of their conquest on Friday, while they also won the U20 AFCON title in Egypt in March.
Their senior national team began the continental dominance last February when they clinched the AFCON 2021 crown then continuing with an AFCON Beach Soccer title later in the year.
Heading into the Friday night’s duel, both teams were in unfamiliar territory, playing their first ever final, but it was Morocco who would go ahead first.
Skipper Ait Boudlal peeled away from his markers before beating the keeper to the ball to head home from an Abdel Hamid Maali corner.
It was a nerve calming goal for Said Chiba’s boys, as just 10 minutes before, the Senegalese had come close with skipper Amara Diouf having a freekick fly inches wide off target.
The game went into a full contest, with both sides battling for possession, but clear-cut chances at goal diminishing.
In the second half, Senegal started faster off the blocks, Mamadou Sadio shooting just over with only 45 seconds gone on the clock. On the other end, Morocco had a chance when Maali struck a shot from the edge of the box, but it flew wide.
Senegal’s turnaround came in the 76th minute when Moroccan skipper Ait Boudlal was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box. After visiting the pitch-side monitor, the referee awarded the penalty and Serigne tucked it home.
The goal inspired the Senegalese and they piled pressure on Morocco in the final 10 minutes of the game. Just four minutes later they had their reward when substitute Sawane stormed in to the edge of the six yard box to head home what would be the winner from a corner.
The goal punctured the entire Moroccan side, and even senior national team coach Walid Regragui who had flown in for the final, was dismayed, standing in anguish at his sitting spot in the VIP dias.
Senegal managed to see off the remaining minutes, plus six of added time, to win the title for the first time ever.
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