Morocco Edge Mali On Penalties To Win U-17 Afcon

Morocco have won the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations AFCON on home soil after defeating Mali 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw in the final, played at the El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia on Saturday.

The teams cancelled each other out through the 90 minutes, but the young Atlas Lions showed their class in the shootout, stylishly finished off by a Panenka penalty from Ilies Belmokhtar to send the home supporters into raptures, as Morocco claimed their first-ever AFCON U-17 title.

After an evenly-matched opening quarter, Mali appeared to have claimed the lead via Soumaila Fane, who steered home a close-range effort from a right-flank cross, but VAR correctly ruled out the goal, as the Malian attacker had in fact used his hand to redirect the ball.

The closest Morocco came to a goal in the first half was via Ziyad Baha shortly before the interval, as he met a low cross from the right and fired an effort toward the bottom corner, but Mali goalkeeper Lamine Sinaba was equal to the task.

The West Africans were the stronger team early in the second half, with Seydou Dembele notably drawing a great save from Chouaib Bellaarouche in the 49th minute.