Tunisia secure knockout qualification and FIFA U-17 World Cup spot with win over The Gambia

CAF

08-04-2025

Tunisia secured their place in the knockout stages of the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 with their second Group C win, following a narrow 2-1 win over The Gambia on Monday evening
The tightly contested encounter was decided by very fine margins, with both sides having an equal share amount of possession and potential to secure all three points.
It was however the North Africans who emerged victorious thanks to a goal in both halves of the match by Yassine Ben Mahmoud and Anisse Saide to clinch the important victory that sees them advance to the next round of the competition, while also carrying their ticket to the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The Gambia, who still had a fighting chance of qualifying after Match Day 3 of the competition will now look to console themselves with a ticket to the FIFA U-17 World Cup as they prepare for the play-offs.
Coming into the clash at the back of a commanding 5-1 win over debutants Somalia, The Gambia looked to put up a strong performance against the Tunisians who unsettled them with a goal just before the break thanks to a Yassine Ben Mahmoud strike.
The Gambia kept their hopes alive and wasted no time in levelling matters immediately after the break with Bisenty Mendy drawing level.
The two sides continued the search for the all-important goal that would send them to the next round and the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
It was in the 57th minute that Anisse Saidi made it 2-1 in favour of the Tunisians with a goal that they defended to the very end to secure passage into the next round of the competition, as The Gambia await the play-offs for a place in the FIFA U-17 World Cup.