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Rabat – Morocco’s U17 national team ended their Africa Cup of Nations campaign in fourth place after losing 2‑0 to Egypt in the third‑place playoff.
The young Atlas Lions entered the match hoping to close the tournament with a medal, but Egypt proved more clinical in front of goal.
Despite Morocco’s higher possession and more attempts, the Pharaohs took advantage of key moments to secure victory.
Egypt opened the scoring in the 32nd minute when Mohamed El‑Sayed finished a move set up by Amir Abou El‑Aziz. Morocco pressed for an equalizer before halftime but could not break through, leaving Egypt ahead at the interval.
In the second half, Morocco continued to push forward. They thought they had leveled the score when Ahmed Bachir found the net, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR review.
That decision kept Egypt in control and added pressure on the Moroccan side.
As the game moved into stoppage time, Egypt sealed the result. Bachir struck again in the 90+12th minute, this time with no doubts, confirming a 2‑0 win and third place for his team.
Morocco had reached the playoff after a dramatic semi‑final against Senegal, which ended 1‑1 before the Lions lost 7‑6 on penalties.
Egypt, meanwhile, also fell short in their semi‑final, setting up the clash for bronze.
Both teams, however, achieved one important goal: qualification for the U‑17 World Cup in Qatar later this year. That tournament will give Morocco’s young players another chance to test themselves against the best in the world.
The result was a disappointment for Morocco, especially after beating Egypt 2‑1 in the group stage earlier in the competition. But the campaign still showed promise, with the squad gaining valuable experience and securing a place on the global stage.
