Football lovers are eagerly anticipating an epic clash as North African powerhouses Egypt and Morocco storm their way into the finals of the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations.
These fierce competitors proved their mettle in thrilling semi-final matches, guaranteeing their spots in the coveted continental football championship showdown.
In a high-octane faceoff at the Ibn Batouta Stadium in Tangier, Egypt emerged victorious over Guinea with a narrow 1-0 scoreline.
The defending champions swiftly seized control as Mohamed Shehata, assisted by the talented Ahmed Atef, fired a sensational goal in the 8th minute of the first half, securing the win.
With their heads held high, Egypt secured not only a place in the final but also earned coveted tickets to the men’s football event at the illustrious Paris 2024 Summer Olympics Games.
Meanwhile, hosts Morocco engaged in a fierce battle against resilient opponents Mali in their semi-final clash.
The pulsating encounter concluded with a thrilling 2-2 draw at full time, forcing the contenders into an intense penalty shootout.
Displaying nerves of steel, Morocco ultimately triumphed with a 4-3 scoreline, securing their spot in the final against Egypt.
Zakaria El Ouahdi ignited the fiery contest with a goal in the 13th minute, giving the hosts an early advantage.
However, Mamady Diambou from Mali brilliantly equalized the scoreline in the 76th minute, sending the match into extra time.
Amine El Ouazzani’s phenomenal strike propelled Morocco to a 2-1 lead, only for Issouf Maiga to unleash a stunning equalizer for Mali.
With the scores level at 2-2, the fate of both teams hinged on the penalty shootout, where Morocco’s precision prevailed.
ONE. MORE. STEP. 🏆
🇲🇦 🆚 🇪🇬 #TotalEnergiesAFCONU23 pic.twitter.com/BYUnyw6cdz
— TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 (@CAF_Online) July 5, 2023
The third-place match between West African rivals Guinea and Mali will determine the third African representative for the Paris 2024 Olympics football event.
As for the fourth continental representative, a thrilling playoff awaits between the U-23 AFCON third-place runner-up and the representative of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) later this year.
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