This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
Hibapress-Rabat-Caf
While the curtain rises on the final of the Totalnergies African Cup of U-20 Nations, Egypt 2025, all the eyes will be turned to the players, but the two tacticians will be just as decisive.
The Moroccan strategist Mohamed Ouahbi and the South African coach Raymond Mdaka were the architects of the impressive courses of their teams until the final of Sunday in Cairo.
The two teams being already qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, the final offers a final battle for continental supremacy.
Ouahbi brings its long -term experience and vision, while MDAKA shows energy and tactical evolution.
Their opposite routes-one anchored in European training systems, the other shaped in South African football-are reflected in the identity and style of the teams they lead.
As they both prefer 4-2-3-1 training, supporters can expect a chess match between structure and spontaneity. Mohamed Ouahbi: The safe hand of Morocco
Appointed in March 2022, Mohamed Ouahbi, 48, gradually rebuilt the U-20 team in Morocco, transforming it into compact and difficult to beat training.
The former youth coach of Anderlecht spent more than ten years training young talents in Belgium before taking care of the Atlas lion cubs.
During the Afcon U20, the Ouahbi team is undefeated, with four victories in five matches and a single goal collected.
The emphasis on tactical discipline and the control of the midfielder has borne fruit.
Under its direction, Morocco beat Nigeria, Kenya, Tunisia, Sierra Leone and the host country, Egypt. In five matches, the Atlas lion cubs scored seven goals and only conceded.
His assessment of 1.88 points per match in 56 games at the head of the Moroccan U20 testifies to his constancy. Raymond MDAKA: the silent reformer of South Africa
On the other hand, Raymond MDAKA, 52, has only been in office for a little over a year, after being appointed last year.
Despite the short time he has, MDAKA transformed the U20 South Africans into one of the most exciting offensive teams in the tournament. His team scored seven goals in six matches and kept three inviolated goals.
MDAKA’s adaptability was decisive. After a first defeat against Egypt, the Amajita rebounded by winning victories against Tanzania, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo, before beating Nigeria in a very disputed semi-final.
With a 66.6 % victory rate in the tournament, MDAKA has led South Africa to its first U20 final since 1997.
With two tactical coaches, a plethora of young talents and the most grand prize in the continent for young people at stake, the Sunday’s final promises to be the culmination of a thrilling tournament.
Whether it is the structured approach of Ouahbi or the offensive flair of Mdaka who wins, the two men have already left their mark on this generation of African football.
