This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
Hibapress-Rabat-Caf
South Africa and Morocco will compete in the final of the Totalnergies Under -20 Totalnergies Cup at the June 30 stadium in Cairo, a rehearsal of the 1997 decisive match between the two countries. (Kick -off 9:00 p.m. local time / 6:00 p.m. GMT).
This is the second time that the two teams have been reaching this stage of the competition. Morocco, as an organizing country, has won the previous final by beating South Africa 1-0 and winning its only title to date.
South Africa has never beat a North African opponent in the tournament, losing its five confrontations.
In addition to the 1997 final, she underwent four 1-0 defeats against Egypt in the group phase in 2001, 2009, 2011 and 2025. The five defeats all ended in a single goal, four of them ending in the 1-0 score.
Morocco has a perfect assessment against the Southern African teams, having beat South Africa in the 1997 final and obtained victories in the group phase against Lesotho (2-0) and Angola (1-0) in 2005.
This is the fifth final of South Africa in the youth and seniors of CAF. South Africans have already reached senior finals in 1996 and 1998, beating Tunisia and bowing against Egypt, respectively.
In terms of under 20, they lost the 1997 final against Morocco. This time a victory would make them the different 12th nation to raise the trophy and the second in southern Africa after Zambia in 2017.
This would also be the second consecutive edition to crown a first winner, after the triumph of Senegal in 2023. In fact, four of the last five winners raised the trophy for the first time.
The two teams followed an identical course to the final: victory in extension in the quarter-final and 1-0 victory in regulation time in the semi-finals.
South Africa defeated DR Congo after extension and then Nigeria, while Morocco beat Sierra Leone in overtime before defeating the host country, Egypt.
This is the Fifth Afcon U-20 organized in North Africa since the transition to a unique format in 1991. Egypt organized the 1991, 2023 and 2025 editions, while Morocco and Algeria did it in 1997 and 2013 respectively.
In each of the three editions where a North African team reached the home final (1991, 1997, 2013), she won the title. The 2025 final is only the second, after that of 1997, to oppose a team of southern Africa to a team from North Africa, and the first final since 1997 without participant in West Africa.
Of the 24 previous finals, none ended with a zero and virgin score. Four ended in overtime, including two in the open game-Egypt’s 4-3 victory over Côte d’Ivoire in 2003 and Nigeria’s 3-2 victory over Cameroon in 2011. Two others, in 2013 and 2019, were decided on penalties. Since 1991, 13 of the 17 finals have been decided in 90 minutes.
The most common score in the final was 2-0, nine times. The most prolific final took place in 2003, with seven goals.
South Africa in short
-South Africa reached the final after a 1-0 victory over Nigeria. It is the first time that she has won four matches in a single edition, including three 1-0 victories and a 4-1 victory over the Sierra Leone.
– After being unable to score in their first game, they scored eight goals in their next five games and only conceded two goals. They are undefeated in their last five games, after losing their first match against Egypt, and have kept three inviolated goals, which is their best assessment on a single edition.
– goalkeeper Fletcher Lowe played a key role by making 24 stops, the greatest number of the tournament.
– The goal of Tylon Smith against Nigeria, assisted by Neoo Rapoo, is his first in the tournament and the eighth in South Africa. Smith is one of the team’s six scorers.
– Rapooo, as well as Shakeel April, delivered two assists and were involved in three goals in total. South Africa has won more duels (297 against 266 for Morocco) and more tackles (64 compared to 53), with a better rate of success of tackles (71.9% against 63.9%).
– Historically, South Africa had never won a direct elimination match at the game open before this edition. His only successes were obtained on penalties-against Ghana in the 1997 semi-finals and against Nigeria in a match for third place in 2019. During this edition, the South Africans won the two matches with direct elimination in regulation or prolongation.
The facts on Morocco
-Morocco has reached the final by beating Kenya (3-2), drawing a draw with Nigeria (0-0) and by beating Tunisia (3-1) in the group phase. He then won 1-0 after extension against Sierra Leone and beat Egypt 1-0 in the semi-finals.
– Before 2025, Morocco had never won a direct elimination match outside its territory.
-Unbeaten in its last 14 games at the game open to the U-20 Afcon (W8 D6), Morocco experienced its last defeat at the game opened in 2003, a 4-0 defeat in the group phase against Egypt.
– The last four shooting sessions to the goal have all ended with a defeat. This is the first time that they have reached the final without having lost in the group phase.
– Morocco, like South Africa, has scored eight goals thanks to the contribution of six different players. Jones El Abdellaoui and Yassir Zabiri lead the team with two goals each. El Abdellaoui scored the goal of the semi-final as a replacement-his two goals were scored on the sidelines.
– Hossam Essadak created 11 occasions, more than any other Moroccan player.
-During the victory in the semi-finals against Egypt, Morocco did not frame a single shot. In five games, the Moroccans only conceded three goals and faced 18 shots on top.
– its penalty conversion rate (15.38%) is slightly higher than that of South Africa (14.55%). In particular, six of the eight Moroccan goals were registered after half-time, five in the second period and one in overtime.
– Morocco has not yet marked in the first 40 minutes of a match.
