Egypt secured their place in the final phase of the CAN U17 after beating Morocco 1-0, leaving the hosts without a point after two matches in the qualifying tournament.
Morocco had the first clear opportunity to take control of the game when they were awarded a penalty in the ninth minute. However, the Egypt goalkeeper kept out the attempt to deny Nabil Baha’s side an early lead.
The decisive moment came only two minutes later. Morocco lost possession on the right, allowing an Egypt player to advance unchallenged towards the edge of the penalty area. His shot flew into the bottom-right corner of the goal guarded by Iyad Hamzi.
That 11th-minute strike proved enough to give the Pharaohs victory and extend Morocco’s difficult start to the competition.
The Atlas Cubs had already been beaten 1-0 by Algeria in their opening fixture. Their second successive defeat leaves them bottom of the table on zero points, meaning they must respond in their final match against Tunisia next Monday.
Morocco’s position is particularly notable because they are hosting the tournament and have already qualified automatically for the next CAN U17. With the finals only a few months away, the results represent an unpromising start for the Moroccan national team.
Egypt, by contrast, have won both of their matches. They began with a 2-1 victory over Tunisia before overcoming Morocco, taking their tally to six points.
That points total guarantees the Pharaohs a place among the qualifying positions and confirms their participation in the final phase of the competition.
Egypt will finish their campaign against Algeria, who will also be looking to recover after suffering a heavy 4-1 loss to Tunisia. The final round of matches will therefore determine which other teams join Egypt at the CAN U17.
