It’s South Africa v Morocco on Sunday in final repeat of 1997 in CAF U-20 AfCON

* With Morocco coach Ouahbi describing South Africa as ‘fierce’ after beating Nigeria in a tense semi-final clash yesterday

* That 1997 encounter ended in a narrow 1-0 victory for Morocco, sealing their first and only CAF U-20 AfCON crown

* Now, nearly three decades later, South Africa are determined to turn the tables and claim their maiden continental title at this level

Maravi Express

Twenty-eight years after their first CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) showdown in the final, Morocco and COSAFA representatives, South Africa will meet once again in a repeat of the 1997 final when they clash on Sunday in the 2015 title decider in Egypt.

That 1997 encounter ended in a narrow 1-0 victory for Morocco, sealing their first and only CAF U-20 AfCON crown — and now, nearly three decades later, the Young Atlas Lions will be aiming to recapture that historic success, while South Africa are determined to turn the tables and claim their maiden continental title at this level.

Both teams punched their tickets to the final with gritty 1-0 wins in yesterday’s semi-finals in which South Africa saw off Nigeria thanks to a header from Michael Smith, while Morocco overcame tournament hosts Egypt, courtesy of a composed finish from Jones El Abdellaoui.

The loss to South African ended Nigeria’s hopes of winning a record-extending eighth U-20 AfCON title and they were made to rue missed opportunities after being dominant for large spells in the second half, particularly in the final moments when South African goalkeeper Fletcher Lowe produced a string of saves to deny Emmanuel Chukwu and Israel Ayuma.

South Africa’s resolute defending and composed midfield play saw them through, stretching their unbeaten run at the Suez Canal Stadium to four games, that has been built on solid defence and efficiency in front of goal.

For Nigeria, it marks a third consecutive semi-final defeat in the tournament, having previously fallen to Gambia (2023) and Mali (2019).

With qualification to the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup already secured, the Amajita will now turn their attention to winning their first continental title against Morocco, who have also impressed with their defensive solidity and tactical cohesion — also boasting a run of clean sheets in the knockout stages.

With continental glory, pride, and redemption at stake, the final is poised to deliver a captivating battle between two nations with unfinished business on the CAF U-20 AfCON stage.

Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi acknowledged that South Africa that have shown “great quality throughout the tournament” and called them “a fierce competitor: “We have a lot of respect for the South African team.

“They’re strong, organised, and they don’t give anything away easily. We’ll celebrate tonight, but then we rest, recover, and plan carefully for the biggest match of our lives.”—Content by CAFonline; edited by Maravi Express