19-05-2025
South Africa edges Morocco 1-0 in AFCON U20 Final : Lion Cubs secure World Cup spot
South Africa's under-20 team defeated Morocco 1–0 on Sunday evening in Cairo, in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON U20), which concluded on May 18 in Egypt. The result was a reversal of the 1997 final, when the Atlas Lion Cubs beat South Africa to claim their first continental title in the category. The only goal of this year's final came from Gomolemo Kekana in the 70th minute.
Despite the loss, Mohamed Ouahbi's squad delivered a solid performance, showing cohesive team play and creating several chances—though none found the back of the net.
The Lion Cubs' impressive campaign began with a 3–2 win over Kenya, followed by victories against Tunisia (3–1) and Sierra Leone (1–0), before a standout semi-final performance against host nation Egypt (1–0).
By reaching the final four, Morocco also secured qualification for the upcoming U20 World Cup, set to take place in Chile.
