{"id":842252,"date":"2025-04-20T13:12:58","date_gmt":"2025-04-20T18:12:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/20\/nigerias-record-remains-untouched-as-morocco-beat-mali-to-clinch-first-u17-afcon-trophy\/"},"modified":"2025-04-20T13:12:58","modified_gmt":"2025-04-20T18:12:58","slug":"nigerias-record-remains-untouched-as-morocco-beat-mali-to-clinch-first-u17-afcon-trophy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/20\/nigerias-record-remains-untouched-as-morocco-beat-mali-to-clinch-first-u17-afcon-trophy\/","title":{"rendered":"Nigeria\u2019s record remains untouched as Morocco beat Mali to clinch first U17 AFCON trophy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Soccer <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/?s=Golden+Eaglets\">Nigeria\u2019s<\/a> proud record in the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations remains intact after Morocco defeated Mali in a dramatic penalty shootout to win the 2025 edition of the tournament on home soil, <a href=\"https:\/\/Soccernet.ng\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Soccernet.ng<\/a> reports<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The Golden Eaglets, five-time FIFA U-17 World Cup winners, jointly hold the record for most <a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/?s=U17+Afcon\">U17 AFCON<\/a> titles alongside Mali, Ghana, Cameroon, and Gambia\u2014all with two trophies each.<\/p>\n<p>But Mali\u2019s bid to move clear and become the outright most successful team in the competition\u2019s history ended in heartbreak on Saturday night.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_157281\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-157281\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/04\/imago21775477-750x500.jpg\" alt=\"Soccer Nigeria\u2019s Golden Eaglets \" width=\"750\" height=\"500\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-157281\">Nigeria\u2019s Golden Eaglets. Photo by IMAGO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Despite Nigeria\u2019s absence from this year\u2019s competition, many Nigerian fans watched events in Morocco closely, knowing their country\u2019s long-held record was at risk.<\/p>\n<p>Ghana also failed to qualify, while Gambia and Cameroon crashed out in the group stage. It was left to Mali to try and move clear, but they were denied in agonising fashion.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_157285\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-157285\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/04\/imago21775497-750x500.jpg\" alt=\"Soccer Nigeria\u2019s Golden Eaglets stars Victor Osimhen and Kelechi Nwakali. \" width=\"750\" height=\"500\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-157285\">Nigeria\u2019s Golden Eaglets stars Victor Osimhen and Kelechi Nwakali. Photo by IMAGO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In a tense, goalless final at the Stade El Bachir in Mohammedia on Saturday night, it was Morocco who triumphed 4\u20132 on penalties to seal their maiden U17 AFCON title, ending years of near misses after finishing runners-up in 2023 and fourth in 2013 when they first hosted the tournament.<\/p>\n<p>Zakaria Alaoui proved Morocco\u2019s hero in the shootout, saving two spot-kicks from Issa Kon\u00e9 and Lamine Keita to deny Mali their third title.<\/p>\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whatsapp.com\/channel\/0029VagMHLcA89MZvw0Btc21\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Get Our Sports News First \u2013 Join Our WhatsApp Channel Now!<\/a><\/h4>\n<p><strong>READ MORE\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/2024\/11\/osimhen-inspired-golden-eaglets-legacy-set-to-be-overtaken-as-spain-eye-three-peat-record-vs-korea-dpr.html\">Osimhen-inspired Golden Eaglets legacy set to be overtaken as Spain eye three-peat record vs Korea DPR<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/2024\/06\/nigeria-golden-eaglets-hopeful-for-world-cup-chance-as-u-17-afcon-expansion-looms.html\">Nigeria Golden Eaglets hopeful for World Cup chance as U-17 AFCON expansion looms<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/2024\/05\/no-afcon-ticket-for-nigerias-golden-eaglets-caf.html\">No AFCON ticket for Nigeria\u2019s Golden Eaglets \u2013 CAF<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Mali had arrived in the final full of confidence, having dispatched Tunisia and Burkina Faso in the knockout rounds. A win would have added to their previous triumphs in 2015 and 2017 \u2013 and would have ended Nigeria\u2019s joint hold on the title record.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_157290\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-157290\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/04\/imago66785937-750x543.jpg\" alt=\"Soccer Nigeria\u2019s Golden Eaglets. \" width=\"750\" height=\"543\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-157290\">Nigeria Golden Eaglets arrive Nigeria after successfully retaining The FIFA U 17 World Cup 2015. Photo by IMAGO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>But Morocco, led by head coach Nabil Baha, were tactically disciplined and defensively solid throughout the final. The hosts had earlier seen off South Africa and Ivory Coast\u2014via penalty shootouts\u2014and again held their nerve when it mattered most.<\/p>\n<p>During the final, both sides created half-chances, but neither could find a breakthrough in open play. Morocco\u2019s Ilies Belmokhtar and Ahmed Mouhoub tested Mali\u2019s goalkeeper from range, while Seydou Demb\u00e9l\u00e9 and Soumaila Fan\u00e9 carried Mali\u2019s attacking threat. Fan\u00e9 even thought he had scored in the second half, but the goal was ruled out by VAR for handball.<\/p>\n<p>It was left to the penalty shootout to settle matters, and Morocco were flawless. Ziyad Baha, Zakari El Khalfioui, Amine Ouahabi, and Belmokhtar converted their efforts with calm assurance.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_157287\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-157287\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2025\/04\/imago21775509-750x500.jpg\" alt=\"Soccer Nigeria\u2019s Golden Eaglets. \" width=\"750\" height=\"500\"  ><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-157287\">Nigeria\u2019s Golden Eaglets. Photo by IMAGO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The result keeps Nigeria level at the top of the U-17 AFCON honours list\u2014a small but important source of pride for a country with such a rich tradition in youth football.<\/p>\n<p>While the Golden Eaglets will no doubt be disappointed not to have qualified for the tournament, the result in Mohammedia ensures their legacy remains intact, at least for now.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Soccer Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele\" src=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/DSC_0327-copy-150x150.jpg\"  height=\"80\" width=\"80\">\t\t<\/p>\n<div>\n<h3>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/author\/imhonlamhen-eronmhonsele\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tImhonlamhen Eronmhonsele\t\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\tImhonlamhen Eronmhonsele turns into a ball of passion when writing about Nigerian football and its talents, whether rising stars or established legends, locally and abroad.<\/p>\n<p>From the deepest corners of the Middle East, to the green fields of the Americas, to the celebrated grounds in Europe, and the rich soils of Africa, Imhons is more than glad, usually with a glass of a tasty drink nearby, to capture the essence of the game, by connecting the dots between culture, identity, and football.\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/2025\/04\/nigerias-morocco-mali-u17-afcon.html\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a>Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Soccer Nigeria\u2019s proud record in the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations remains intact after Morocco defeated Mali in a dramatic penalty shootout to win the 2025 edition of the tournament on home soil, Soccernet.ng reports. The Golden Eaglets, five-time FIFA U-17 World Cup winners, jointly hold the record for most U17 AFCON titles alongside Mali, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":842253,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21970,3543,2005],"tags":[86607,6744],"class_list":{"0":"post-842252","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nigerias","8":"category-record","9":"category-soccer","10":"tag-nigerias","11":"tag-record"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/842252","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=842252"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/842252\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/842253"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=842252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=842252"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=842252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}