Rabat – Morocco picked up their first win of the 2026 U17 AFCON after a 2-1 victory over Ethiopia tonight, with Talai scoring a stoppage-time winner to send the home crowd into celebration.
The result came after Egypt had earlier beaten Tunisia 2-1 in the first Group A match of the day, increasing the pressure on the Atlas Cubs heading into kickoff.
Looking to secure a first win of the tournament and strengthen their chances of reaching the quarterfinals and qualifying for the FIFA U17 World Cup, Morocco were made to work hard by an Ethiopian side that once again showed impressive organization.
Ethiopia struck first in the 24th minute through Kassaw, silencing the home crowd and continuing the defensive discipline they had already displayed against Egypt in their opening match.
Morocco tried to respond before halftime but struggled to break down Ethiopia’s compact setup. Just like in the Tunisia game, the hosts found themselves chasing the match.
The response finally arrived shortly after the break.
نهاية المباراة بفوز منتخبنا الوطني أمام إثيوبيا
🏁 Full-time! 🇪🇹1-2🇲🇦
Victory for our U17 National Team against Ethiopia 💪#DimaMaghrib pic.twitter.com/UxMUSp79yP— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) May 16, 2026
Only four minutes into the second half, Moustache found the equalizer in the 49th minute, giving Morocco the perfect start after halftime and shifting the momentum back toward the hosts.
From that point, Morocco controlled possession and spent much of the second half searching for a winning goal. But as the clock moved into stoppage time, it looked as if the Atlas Cubs would be forced to settle for a second straight draw.
Then came the decisive moment. In the 91st minute, Talai delivered the breakthrough Morocco had been desperately chasing, scoring a late winner to complete the comeback and secure all 3 points.
After two matches, Morocco now head into the final round with momentum and a valuable win.
With Egypt also winning earlier in the day, Group A remains tightly contested.
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