Morocco’s U17 national team win the Africa Cup of Nations title today, edging past Mali 4-2 on penalties after a goalless stalemate in regular time.
The final, played under tight margins, saw little in the way of clear-cut chances, with both sides struggling to break the deadlock throughout the 90 minutes.
In the second half, the Atlas Cubs upped the tempo, pushing for a breakthrough, but a lack of composure in the final third proved costly.
With no goals to separate the two, the match went to penalties, where Morocco held their nerve. Goalkeeper Chouaib Belaarouch emerged the hero, saving two spot-kicks to secure a historic victory for the young Moroccans — their first continental title at U17 level.
