This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
Hibapress-Rabat-Caf
Morocco and Egypt, an organizing country, meet for the seventh time in the history of the Totalnergies Cup of Nations under 20 in a semi-final of the North African derby at the June 30 stadium in Cairo (kick-off 21:00 Local time / 18:00 GMT).
The previous confrontations took place in 1981, 1985, 1993, 1997, 2003 and 2005. Morocco has a victory, Egypt two, and three matches ended in dummies.
Their first meeting took place in the first round of the 1981 edition, where Morocco won 3-1 on all two matches, with a 2-0 victory at home before drawing 1-1 in Egypt.
In the 1993 group phase, Egypt won 4-1, followed by a draw and virgin in 1997. Egypt once again imposed itself in 2003 on the score of 4-0, and their last meeting in 2005 ended on a score of 2-2.
Egypt is undefeated in its last five final phase matches against Morocco. During their previous six confrontations in the final phase, 17 goals were scored, an average of 2.83 per match.
Egypt scored 11 goals (1.83 per match), while Morocco scored 6 (1 per game).
It will be the first time that the two nations have competed in a direct elimination match.
This is the second time that Morocco has faced a host country in the final phase. The only time he did it was against Benin, in the match for third place in 2005, where he drew 1-1 before losing 5-3 on penalties.
The two teams also met during the UNAF qualification tournament for the final phase of 2024. Morocco won 2-1 during the opening match for the two teams on November 14, 2024 at the Suez Canal stadium. Morocco finished winner of the tournament and Egypt vice-champion of this tournament around five teams.
Morocco has already beat a North African rival in this tournament, beating Tunisia 3-1 in the group phase. They reached the semi-finals without defeat, with a 3-2 victory over Kenya, a 0-0 draw with Nigeria, a 3-1 victory over Tunisia, and a 1-0 victory in overtime against Sierra Leone in the quarterfinals.
Moroccan facts
-Morocco qualified for the U-20 World Cup of FIFA 2025, which constitutes its third participation after 1997 and 2005. This is the first time that Morocco has been undefeated for four matches in the same edition.
-In 1997, the Moroccans had lost their third group match against Ghana before winning the semi-final against Côte d’Ivoire and the final against South Africa.
-This is the fourth participation of Morocco in the semi-finals. His record at this stage, including the matches decided on penalties, is a victory and two defeats. Moroccans will try to reach the final for the second time only, after winning the home tournament in 1997. A victory would mark their first final outside Morocco.
Morocco won three games at the game open during this edition, which had not happened since 1997. A fourth victory would be a new record for Morocco in a single edition.
-Since 1993, Morocco has participated in two quarter-finals and two semi-finals in direct elimination matches. He recorded two victories (2-1 against Côte d’Ivoire in 1997 and 1-0 against Sierra Leone in 2025) and two losses on penalties (against Nigeria in 2005 and Tunisia in 2021).
– In accordance with the final victory against South Africa in 1997 and defeat on penalties against Nigeria in 2005, Morocco has played six matches with direct elimination since 1993, winning three times in open match and losing three times on penalties. He has never lost a direct elimination match in an open match.
– Morocco participated in four penalty sessions in the final phase and lost them all: against Tunisia (1981), Nigeria and Benin (2005), and again Tunisia (2021).
– Against Sierra Leone, Morocco has shot six times. During his 3-1 victory against Tunisia, he paid seven. On the other hand, no shot was framed against Nigeria.
– The seven goals of Morocco in this tournament were all scored after the 40th minute. Two have been marked in the last five minutes of the first half, four in second half and one in overtime.
– Hossam Essadak is the team’s best opportunities for the team with 11, the largest number of Moroccan players.
Morocco has shot 22 times to the goal, the largest number of semi-finalists, and displays the best rate for the conversion of fire among the four finalists (16.28 %).
– They made 1,334 assists, which placed them in second position behind South Africa, and are at the top of the ranking of successful centers with 14.
The facts on Egypt
-Egypt began its campaign with a 1-0 victory over South Africa, followed by a heavy 4-0 defeat against Sierra Leone and a draw and virgin against Zambia. In the quarter-finals, she beat Tanzania 1-0, then drew 2-2 with Ghana before winning on penalties.
-Their progression provides them with a ninth participation in the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Egypt targets a sixth final, after reaching the title for the title in 1981, 1991, 2003, 2005 and 2013.
– In the event of a victory, she would reach her second home final (after 1991) and her third final organized in North Africa (with Algeria in 2013).
-This is the eighth semi-final of Egypt and its second at home. In 1991, she beat Ghana 1-0 before winning the tournament. If Egypt reaches the final, it will become the eighth host country to do so and the first since Zambia in 2017.
-The last three host countries to have reached the semi-finals-Zambia (2017), Senegal (2015) and Congo (2007)-have all acceded to the final. Benin, in 2005, is the last host country to bow to this stage.
Since 1991, host countries have reached the semi-finals on 11 times, and in the previous 10 cases, the host countries have reached the final six times and have been eliminated four times.
– The host countries that have reached the final are Egypt (1991), Morocco (1997), Ghana (1999), Congo (2007), Senegal (2015) and Zambia (2017). The hosts who lost in the semi-finals are Nigeria (1995), Ethiopia (2001), Burkina Faso (2003) and Benin (2005).
-Among the semi-finalists, Egypt is the country that has conceded the most goals (six). She marked five, more than Nigeria (three).
-Four of the Egyptian goals were scored in the first half, the only goal scored in the second period having been by Mohamed El Hadad in the 62nd minute of the opening match against South Africa.
– Conversely, five of the six goals collected by Egypt were in the second period. The only goal collected in the first period was that of Ghana in the additional time of the quarterfinals.
– Egypt has lost the advantage twice in the current tournament. She led 1-0 against Sierra Leone before losing 4-1, and against Ghana, she led 2-0 before being reduced to 2-2. She finally imposed herself on penalties.
-Egypt has a 10 %fire conversion rate, only higher than that of Nigeria (6.98 %) among the semi-finalists.
-On the other hand, it is in the lead for the success rate of tackles (76.7 %) and won 247 duels, the largest number of semi-finalists.
Goalkeeper Abdel Monem Tamer has kept three inviolated goals, tied with the greatest number of players in the tournament, although he played a match more than his counterparts.
– Since 1991, Egypt has played seven direct elimination matches, for five victories and two defeats, both on penalties.
-His victories include 1-0 victories against Ghana (1991) and Mali (2003), a winning victory against Benin (2005), a 2-0 victory against Nigeria (2013), and the recent penalty victory against Ghana in 2025.
-The 2001 and 2011 semi-finals were lost on penalties against Ghana (1-1, defeat 6-5) and Cameroon (0-0, 4-2 defeat). Egypt has not lost a direct elimination match in the open game in the final phase since 1991.
– Egypt has participated in five penalty shootouts since 1991, with three victories and two defeats. Three of these penalty shootouts took place against Ghana.
-She lost the 2001 semi-final (1-1, 6-5 defeat), won the 2005 semi-final (1-1, 3-1 victory), lost against Cameroon in 2011 (0-0, 4-2 defeat), and won the 2013 final (1-1, 5-4 victory). During the current tournament, they again beat Ghana on penalties (2-2, 5-4 victory).
