Morocco began this year’s tournament with an impressive 3-2 comeback win against Kenya. That result extended their unbeaten run in open play at the U20 AFCON finals to 10 matches (W5 D5), with their last defeat coming in the group stage of the 2003 tournament, a 4-0 loss to Egypt.

  They are also unbeaten in their last seven group-stage matches at the finals (W5 D2).

 The five-goal thriller against Kenya was the first time Morocco had been involved in such a high-scoring game at the finals since their 4-1 loss to Egypt in 1997.

Historically, Morocco has never started a group-stage tournament with two consecutive wins.

On both previous occasions when they won their opening match – against Lesotho in 2005 and Gambia in 2021 – they failed to win the second, drawing 2-2 with Egypt and 0-0 with Ghana, respectively.

Since 1993, when group stages became standard, Morocco’s record in their second group game is: Played 5, Won 1, Drawn 2, Lost 2. Their only win in that span came in 1997 on home soil, a 2-0 victory over Sudan.

They have drawn their second match in each of their last two appearances (2005 and 2021) and lost in 1993 (4-1 to Egypt) and 2003 (1-0 to Côte d’Ivoire).

In their win over Kenya, Morocco recorded nine shots on target – the most of any team in the first round of matches.

Ismaël Baouf completed 69 passes, the most by any player in that game. Saad El Haddad had a perfect tackle success rate, winning all six of his challenges.

Yassir Zabiri scored twice from three shots on target, while Reda Laalaoui netted the game-winner in the 87th minute with his only shot on target.

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Nigeria will on Thursday launch their campaign for an eighth Africa U20 title when the Flying Eagles file out against the Junior Carthage Eagles of Tunisia at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo, in the opening match of Group B.

Forty years ago, the boys from Carthage were the victims as the Flying Eagles won the second of their seven African titles, in the era when the winner was decided over two legs. With both teams already qualified for the FIFA World Youth Championship (now FIFA U20 World Cup) finals in then USSR, Nigeria forced a 1-1 draw with their hosts in Tunis, and then won a close-fought return leg 2-1 at the National Stadium, Surulere.

Two years ago, the Carthage Eagles again bowed to the Eagles from West Africa in the third-place match of the U20 AFCON, also hosted by Egypt. It ended 4-0 against the North Africans.

Head Coach Aliyu Zubairu and his charges understand that they must take it one match at a time as they aspire for glory, with Cup holders Senegal (who head Group C), hosts Egypt (who head Group A) and four-time winners Ghana (in Group C) also in the hunt for honours.

Four-time champions Egypt (winners in 1981, 1991, 2003 and 2013) already pocketed three points from their opening match against South Africa on Sunday, while Zambia and Sierra Leone fought themselves to a scoreless draw.

Ghana have their work cut out in Group C, where they must negotiate survival with title-holders Senegal, a Central African Republic side that eliminated Cameroon, and the nifty Democratic Republic of Congo.

Nigeria must beware of the host nation, even though the Flying Eagles pipped the Egyptians 1-0 in a group phase match in Cairo two years ago. The only Final matches Nigeria have lost since the competition transformed from home-and-away format to a tournament were against host nations – against Ghana in Accra in 1999 and against Congo in Brazzaville eight years later. On the reverse, Nigeria defeated hosts Senegal in the Final in 2015.

Ghana were champions in 1993, 1999 (as hosts), 2009 (when they won in Rwanda) and 2021. Cameroon, who are not in Egypt, won their only title when Nigeria hosted the competition in 1995.

After Thursday’s shootout with the Junior Carthage Eagles, the seven-time champions will be up against 1997 hosts and winners Morocco, also at the 30 June Stadium.

Zubairu is excited that his boys are riding on immense psychological wavelengths after a 2-1 defeat of host nation Egypt in a friendly match at the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday – barely 48 hours after the delegation landed in Cairo.

“That result has provided a good impetus for us as we prepare to face the Tunisians – another North African opposition. You need a result like that when you’re preparing for a competition like this. It does not mean that we will rest on our oars; it only serves to give us much-needed confidence and ginger us to face our challenges better.

“We will go for the maximum points against the Tunisians and then take it one step at a time as we forge ahead.”

Kparobo Arierhi, who scored three goals at the WAFU B U20 Championship and netted the first goal against Egypt on Tuesday, Germany-based Precious Benjamin and home-boys Clinton Jephta and Divine Oliseh are the key foremen that Zubairu will be hoping to deliver against each and every opposition.  

Tunisia did not originally qualify for these finals, but sneaked through after original hosts Cote d’Ivoire pulled the rug on the Confederation of African Football with only weeks to the opening match.

All four semi-finalists at the tournament will qualify to fly Africa’s flag at this year’s FIFA U20 World Cup finals in Chile, 27^th September – 19^th October.

24 FLYING EAGLES AT EGYPT 2025:

Goalkeepers: Ifeanyi Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos); Rufai Abubakar (Mavlon FC); Soliu Ajia Yakub (FK Novi Pazar, Serbia)

Defenders: Adamu Maigari (El-Kanemi Warriors); Odinaka Okoro (Sporting Lagos); Daniel Bameyi (Bayelsa United); Emmanuel Chukwu (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Germany); Chigozie Michael Ihejiofor (Katsina United)

Midfielders: Caleb Ochedikwu (NK Uljanik Pula, Croatia); Israel Isaac Ayuma (NK Istra, Croatia); Simon Cletus (Mavlon FC); Sulaiman Alabi Jojo (El-Kanemi Warriors); Auwal Ibrahim (Akwa United); Shafiu Adamu Duguri (Wikki Tourists)

Forwards: Precious Benjamin (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Germany); Ezekiel Anthony Kpangu (Inspire FC); Divine Oliseh (Forster Academy); Clinton Jephta (Enyimba FC); Bidemi Amole (Real Sapphire FC); Tahir Maigana (Wireless FC); Theophilus Mendos Rickson (Niger Tornadoes); Kparobo Nathaniel Arierhi (Lillestrom SK, Norway); Matthew Kingsley (Kings FC); Yushau Armiyau (Katsina United)

GROUP A: Egypt, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Tanzania

GROUP B: Nigeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Kenya

GROUP C: Senegal, Central African Republic, DR Congo, Ghana

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The Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt 2025 gets underway today, with hosts Egypt facing South Africa in the tournament’s opening match in Cairo.

The competition, which runs from 27 April to 18 May, brings together 13 nations battling for continental supremacy and four coveted places at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile later this year.

Egypt head Group A alongside Zambia, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Tanzania. In today’s other Group A fixture, Zambia will take on tournament debutants Sierra Leone in Ismailia.

Egypt, three-time champions and one of the most successful nations at this level, are eager to reclaim the title they last won in 2013. Coach Osama Nabih believes his young Pharaohs are ready to rise to the occasion.

“Our players are focused and have the desire to achieve an honorable result at the start of the competition. They have a high spirit that was evident in training,” Nabih said at Saturday’s pre-match press conference.

Nabih, a former Egyptian international, also warned that the margins are slim at this level. “African football is developing significantly and there is no big team and another small one. The tournament is difficult, and all levels are close together. Football only believes in giving and effort,” he stressed.

The coach revealed that his technical staff has extensively studied Egypt’s group opponents, acknowledging that every team arrives with ambition and modern tactical approaches.

“We are confident in our players,” Nabih added. “They are well aware of the challenge and determined to honour Egyptian football.”

This year’s U-20 AFCON promises a high level of competition. Record seven-time champions Nigeria headline Group B alongside Morocco, Tunisia and Kenya. Defending champions Senegal open their campaign against Central African Republic in Group C, where they are joined by Ghana and DR Congo.

The tournament boasts a proud history of producing some of Africa’s biggest football stars, including Yaya Touré, Mohamed Salah, Patson Daka, and Benni McCarthy. Many more are expected to announce themselves on the big stage this year.

Beyond continental glory, the four semi-finalists will book their tickets to the FIFA U-20 World Cup, continuing Africa’s proud tradition of producing global stars.

Egypt’s match against South Africa is expected to draw a large crowd in Cairo, with local fans eager to see the next generation of talent. Meanwhile, Zambia will look to assert their pedigree against a spirited Sierra Leone side making their tournament debut.

With history, pride, and World Cup qualification at stake, the stage is set for an unforgettable edition of Africa’s premier youth competition.

-CAF

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