…Finals on Friday will be a battle of Lions, Senegal versus Morocco – no WAFU finals.
Two times CAF U17 champions, the Eagles of Mali were on Sunday night at the Mohammed Hamlaoui Stadium in Constantine, Algeria humbled out of the race for the coveted trophy by the Junior Atlas Lions of Morocco by 6-5 penalty kicks after a pulsating goalless full time in the second semifinals.
The penalty shootouts were nail biting and one that the entire stadium stood up as the kicks were more sensational than the match itself. A. Maali and Bakhty had lost the second and third kicks for Morocco before I. Kanate and I. Diara lost the fourth and fifth kicks for Mali making the stadium wonder who will carry the day. Then one of the three Kones in the Malian team, Gaoussou lost the 8th kick for his team and Fouad Zaouani stepped forward to clinch the final spot for Morocco with a fine kick.
Thus Book Makers who had speculated an all-West African Football Union (WAFU) finals between Senegal and Mali missed it very badly.
Morocco and Mali have met five times at this category. The highest drubbing was the 6-0 slaughter of Mali on 1st September 2017; there was another 4-0 bashing of Mali on 11th February 2004. At a FIFA world cup meeting on 28th May 2006 Mali ran away with a lone goal victory but in a CAF U17 on 7th February 2021 meeting it was Mali 0 Morocco 2. There was another meeting on 6th March 2013 which Morocco won 2-1.
Morocco had defeated South Africa 2-0; beaten Nigeria’s Golden Eaglet 1-0 and piped Zambia 2-1 at the Group Stages before mauling hosts Algeria sending the country to the stands 3-0 in the Quarterfinal.
Mali won against fellow WAFU compatriot, Burkina Faso by a lone goal and dazed the defending Champions, Cameroon 2-0 before drowning DR Congo 3-0 in the quarterfinal playing two matches at the group stage because South Sudan was sent home for failing MRI test that determines bone age.
The stats favored Mali for the final ticket with 45-34 shots at Goal though Morocco had 13-12 shots on target meaning Mali needed shots on target to win; Mali had 60-43.8% ball possession and a handsome average 435-314 stringed passes indicating the West Africans will dominate the match. The 75-47 foul calls against Morocco and the 8-4 offside calls also show that Morocco may actually produce the first bad boy to bag a red card in the game though Morocco had 14-8 corner kicks also raised fears that pressure may be on the Malians in the game.
The Eagles of Mali were Champions in 2015 at Niger Republic where she spanked South Africa 2-0 and at Gabon 2017 where Ghana was beaten 1-0; Won Silver Botswana 1997 when she lost to Egypt 0-1; won Bronze twice in 1999 at Guinea when she defeated Cameroon 1-0 and at Seychelles 2001 but placed 4th while hosting in 1995 when she lost 1-2 to Guinea.
Morocco’s best achievement so far was 4th while hosting in 2013 and she lost the Bronze to Tunisia in the highest penalty shootouts in the annals of CAF U17 11-10 after 1-1 at full time. At the last games Tanzania 2019 Morocco was sent out at the Group stages. Can the Atlas Lions consume the Taranga Lions in the final on Sunday?
Senegal will meet Morocco in the grand finale to be played Sunday night 14th May at the Nelson Mandela Stadium, Algiers.
On Friday at 2200 hours, Burkina Faso will struggle for a second Bronze in their history in the 3rd Place match against fellow WAFU fellows Mali on Thursday at 2000 hours.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
#CAFU17TotalEnergiesAlgeria2023.
