July 09, (THEWILL) – In a historic moment for Moroccan football, their Under-23 national team clinched their inaugural TotalEnergies U23 Africa Cup of Nations title on Saturday night.
The thrilling final against 10-man Egypt unfolded at Rabat’s Moulay Abdellah Stadium and required extra time to determine the winner. Egypt took an early lead in the ninth minute when Mahmoud Saber unleashed a brilliant curler into the top corner. However, Saber’s fortunes quickly turned as he received a red card just eight minutes later for a reckless challenge on Abdessamad Ezzalzouli.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Egypt showed resilience and held their ground for the remainder of regular time. However, Morocco’s determination paid off in the 37th minute when Yanis Begraoui found the back of the net, equalising the score for the host nation. The first and second halves concluded without any additional goals, leading the match into extra time.
During the first half of extra time, Morocco seized the lead when substitute Oussamna Targhalline capitalised on a free kick from Ezzalzouli, delivering a powerful strike that eluded the Egyptian goalkeeper. The goal put Morocco ahead for the first time in the competition, with the scoreline standing at 2-1 in their favour.
Egypt’s best efforts to secure a late equaliser proved abortive as Morocco’s solid defence held firm, allowing them to claim victory and lift the U23 AFCON trophy for the first time in their history.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
