Senegal booked their place in the final of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON U-17) after defeating Morocco 7-6 on penalties following a dramatic 1-1 draw after regulation time on Thursday night.
The defending champions appeared to be heading for victory after taking the lead in the 23rd minute through Mouhamed Wagner, who finished off a swift attacking move to silence the home supporters.
Senegal thought they had doubled their advantage before halftime, but celebrations were cut short after a VAR review ruled out the goal in the 38th minute.
Morocco pushed for an equaliser throughout the second half and eventually found it deep into stoppage time in dramatic fashion.
Ismail Al-Oud initially saw his penalty saved, but reacted quickest to convert the rebound and send the home crowd into celebration as the match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes.
With neither side able to find another breakthrough, the semi-final was decided by penalties, where Senegal held their composure to prevail 7-6 in a tense shootout.
The victory sends Senegal into another continental final, where they will face Tanzania on 2 June in a showdown between two of the tournament’s standout teams.
Morocco, who had impressed on home soil throughout the AFCON U-17 competition, bowed out after a spirited performance that pushed the defending champions to the limit.
