It will be an all-North African nations affair at the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco as defending champions Egypt and Morocco win their respective semi-final matches to qualify for the finals of the continental football championship.
The victory also guarantees the two nations tickets for the men’s football event of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics Games in France.
Egypt defeated Guinea 1-0 in the first semi-final match played at Ibn Batouta Stadium in Tangier, Morocco, while the hosts defeated hard-fighting opponents Mali 6-5 on goal aggregate in the second semi-final match.
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— #TotalEnergiesAFCONU23 ???? (@CAF_Online) July 5, 2023
The game between Morocco and Mali ended 2-2 at full time, and the hosts ran away with a 4-3 score line after a penalty shootout to qualify for the final against Egypt.
Mohamed Shehata scored the only goal of the match for the defending champions early in the 8th minute of the first half with an assist from Ahmed Atef.
The match saw two players from each side receive yellow cards from the referee: Naby Oulare (45 + 2 minutes), Ousmane Camare (54 minutes) from Guinea, Ahmed Atef( 25 minutes), and Ibrahim Adel (45+5 minutes) from Egypt.
In the second semi-final match, Zakaria El Ouahdi scored in the 13th minute to keep the score 1-0 in favour of the hosts, Morocco, at the end of the first half.
Mamady Diambou levelled the scores 1-1 for Mali in the 76th minute of the second half to end the match 1-1 after 90 minutes of regulation.
Amine El Ouazzani shot Morocco into a 2-1 lead in the 108th minute of extra time, while Issouf Maiga equalised the match 2-2 for Mali in the 115th minute of extra time.
At full time, the scores stood at 2-2, and the two sides went into a penalty shootout.
Boubacar Traore and Hamed Diamante missed their respective penalties for Mali, while compatriots Mamady Diambou, Hamidou, and Mohamadou Lamine Bah converted their penalties.
Ousmane Tanghalline, Amine El Ouazzani, and Younes Taha scored their penalties for the hosts, Morocco.
The highest goal scorer of the tournament, Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, scored his fourth goal in the tournament through a Penalty goal and sealed a final ticket for Morocco with a 4-3 scoreline after the penalty shootout.
Final scores stood at 6-5 on goal aggregate in favour of Morocco.
The third African representative at the football event of the Paris 2024 Olympics will be known after the third-place match between two West African nations, Guinea and Mali.
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— #TotalEnergiesAFCONU23 ???? (@CAF_Online) July 5, 2023
The fourth continental representative in Paris 2024, France, will be decided after a playoff between the U-23 AFCON third-place loser and the representative of the Asian Football Confederation, AFC, later this year.
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