Morocco and South Africa will reenact the 1997 final when they play each other in the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations title decider in Egypt on Sunday, twenty-eight years after their first TotalEnergies CAF U-20 AFCON continental matchup in the final.
Morocco won that 1997 match by a slim 1-0 margin, earning them their first and only TotalEnergies CAF U-20 AFCON championship.
Now, over thirty years later, South Africa is determined to reverse the trend and win their first continental championship at this level, while the Young Atlas Lions will be looking to repeat that historic triumph.
With tough 1-0 victories in Thursday’s semi-finals, both clubs punched their tickets to the championship game.
Michael Smith’s header helped South Africa defeat Nigeria, and Jones El Abdellaoui’s calm finish helped Morocco defeat tournament hosts Egypt.
Morocco has a run of clean sheets in the knockout stages, demonstrating their tactical unity and defensive sturdiness.
They bring momentum and the weight of history to Sunday’s match, led by a self-assured backline and shrewd forwards.
In contrast, South Africa has become more formidable as the competition has gone on. Coach Vela Khumalo’s team will be eager to win the trophy that escaped them by a slim margin in 1997, a year after their seniors won the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON on home soil.
Their triumph over a highly regarded Nigerian team was a declaration of purpose.
The final is set to be an exciting match between two countries with unresolved business on the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 AFCON stage, with continental glory, pride, and redemption on the line.
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