Latest news with #TotalEnergiesCAFU-17AFCON
CAF
11-04-2025
- Sport
- CAF
U-17 AFCON: Ziyad Baha under close paternal watch
A calm and composed Ziyad Baha (15), revealed more than just his precocious talent with the ball after scoring twice and named Man of the Match against South Africa in a 3-1 TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON quarter-final clash in Mohammedia. 'I dreamed of this moment long before kick-off. We wanted this semi-final. And now, we're aiming for the final. The trophy must stay in Morocco.' Smiling and sincere, the Real Betis player didn't hide his joy at claiming his first individual award of the tournament. 'Man of the Match? I've wanted that for a long time. What we really want is to become African champions.' Pressure in the Name of Blood On the bench, his father Nabil Baha is relentless. And he owns it. 'I'm tougher on him than the others. He's not allowed to make mistakes. Because people will always say that if he's playing, it's thanks to me.' The Moroccan coach speaks with honesty and clarity. He knows the kind of suspicion this situation can stir. He counters it with high standards. 'If he wasn't good enough, he wouldn't even be called up. But every time he plays, he scores. He has statistics that I'll reveal one day. They're brutal numbers.' Born in 2009, Ziyad Baha joined youth national teams at the age of 11, consistently playing in higher age categories. 'He's always played above his age group. He's a player who needs support but also pushing. He has personality. He knows he's good, but he also knows there's a lot of work ahead.' A Promise to Nurture In the calm of the dressing room, the father-son bond takes over again. 'Sometimes I bring him to my room to talk, to get his head straight. I may be harder on him than the fans. But that's what's needed.' And while the road is still long, the Moroccan coach has no doubt about his son's potential. 'He'll have a great career—if he stays humble, if he works harder than everyone else, and if he keeps going down this path.'
CAF
10-04-2025
- Sport
- CAF
TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON: Burkina Faso vs Zambia - a high-stakes quarter-final
The only team to have won all three of their group matches, Burkina Faso face Zambia for a place in the semi-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON on Thursday. The two sides approach the match with confidence in what promises to be a tightly contested battle. There's no more room for calculations. Now that it's knockout stage time, every detail matters. Burkina Faso, impressive in the group stage with three wins from three, meet a Zambian team in the quarter-finals that also remains unbeaten. A clash of the unbeaten, and potentially one of the standout fixtures of this round. 'We're approaching this match with caution and determination. It will be a very tough game against a physical side, very different from our previous opponents. But we no longer need to hide. The objective is clear: to go for the trophy', says Burkina Faso coach, Oscar Barro. Having topped their group convincingly, the young Stallions are growing in confidence. A favourite's status that Mohamed Fofana, one of the team's key players, embraces: 'The team spirit is excellent. We're really motivated. It was great to finish first, but now we want to go even further.' For Zambia, this marks a historic milestone. The U-17 Chipolopolo are playing their first ever quarter-final in the competition. But their coach, Ian Bakala has no intention of stopping there. 'Our players are ready. We've already achieved our first goal: qualifying for the World Cup. Now, we're playing for the title. It will be a balanced match, a real 50-50, but I truly believe we will win'. The same sentiment is echoed by his captain, Vincent Mutondo. 'In the dressing room, we always remind ourselves we're here for two things: to qualify for the World Cup and to win the trophy. Tomorrow, we play to win. It's no longer the group stage. There has to be a winner'. Two styles, one goal The match promises to be as tactical as it is physical. Burkina Faso have shone through their attacking prowess and the technical quality of players like Asharaf Tapsoba, praised by his coach for his humility and consistency. 'He scores those kinds of goals in training – it's no fluke', said Oscar Barro. Zambia, in contrast, are notable for their resilience under pressure, as shown in their goalless draw with tournament hosts Morocco. A match that coach Bakala found revealing: 'It was a tactical battle. They were a bit wary of us because we beat them in the last AFCON. Tomorrow will be a different fight'. A clash of ambition Beyond the game itself, it's also a clash of developmental philosophies. Burkina Faso place emphasis on protecting their young talents, with coach Oscar Barro refusing early contact with agents. They need to be protected to ensure their development isn't destabilised, 'he insists. Zambia, for their part, remain calm despite the long journeys and pressure of the occasion. 'We stay focused on our playing style and enjoy the game", concludes Mutondo.
CAF
07-04-2025
- Sport
- CAF
MATCH FACTS: Senegal seek top spot in Group C at TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025
Senegal will hope to seal top spot in Group C at the TotalEnergies CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025 when they tale on already eliminated Somalia at the Ben M'Hamed El Abdi Stadium in El Jadida on Monday (kick-off 19:00 local time / 18:00 GMT). Senegal have four points from their opening two matches in the pool, and are level with pool leaders Tunisia, who take on The Gambia in their final clash. The top two teams in each group advance to the quarter-finals and book a place at the 2025 FIFA Under-17 World Cup, while the teams that finish third enter a play-off for the two remaining places at the global finals. This is the second meeting between Senegal and Somalia at the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON. The nations met at the 2023 finals in their final game in the pool, with Senegal already qualified for the knockout rounds after wins over Algeria and Congo. Senegal won the meeting 3-0 as they eventually becoming champions, while Somalia exited at the group stages. During their clash at the 2023 finals, Said Mohamed scored an own goal, the first by a Somali player at the finals, while Amara Diouf and Yaya Dieme scored two more. Somalia, playing their sixth game at the finals, will see Senegal become the first team that they have faced more than once. SOMALIA FACTS · Somalia lost their opening two games against Tunisia 3-0 and Gambia 5-1. · Somalia have lost their opening two games at the finals for the first time. In 2023, they drew their second game 1-1 against Congo, while losing their first to Algeria and third to Senegal. · Somalia have now lost their last three games at the finals, starting with their final group game in 2023. · Somalia have never won a game at the finals (D1 L5) and are yet to keep a clean-sheet. · Somalia have conceded eight goals at the current finals, more than they did in their debut tournament when they let in six goals in three games. They also scored one goal in 2023. · Somalia's 5-1 loss to Gambia in their last group game was their biggest defeat at the finals. The first time they had lost by four goals and conceded five goals at the finals. · Despite losing to Gambia 5-1 in their last game, Somalia had 58% of the possession. It was only the second time at the finals along with their opening game loss against Algeria (52.1%) in 2023 that they have had more than 50% of the possession. · Somalia faced nine shots on target in their loss to Gambia, the most they have faced at the current finals in a single game. SENEGAL FACTS · Senegal are now nine games at the finals without a loss. They last were defeated by Guinea in their second group game in 2019 (W6 D3). · Senegal have conceded just two goals in their last eight games at the finals. These came in their 1-1 draw against Burkina Faso in the 2023 semi-finals and in their 2-1 win against Morocco in the 2023 final. · Senegal have not conceded a goal in their last six group games at the finals, starting with their 0-0 draw against Cameroon in their final group game in 2019. · Senegal last conceded a goal in the group stages in 2019 in the 80th minute of their 2-1 loss to Guinea in their second group game. Since then they have played 549 minutes at the group stages without conceding. · Senegal have won their opening two group games for the second finals in a row. Victory will see them win all three group games for the second time along with 2023. · Should Senegal avoid defeat they will go unbeaten through the group stages for a second time along with 2023. · Senegal had four shots on target in their 0-0 draw with Tunisia in their second game. They prevented their opponents from having a single shot on target in the game. · Senegal had 67% of the possession in their draw with Tunisia in their second group game. · In both their group games Senegal have managed to make over 400 passes. In their opening game they attempted 405 passes against Gambia and 444 in their second game against Tunisia. · Ibrahima Aidara completed 57 passes against Tunisia, the most by any player in the game. · Senegal have never conceded a goal or lost in their final group game. Their record reads P3 W2 D1 L0. In their final group games in 2011, Senegal defeated Rwanda 1-0, while in 2019 they drew 0-0 with Cameroon and defeated Somalia 2-0 at the last finals.
CAF
05-04-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Education at the Heart of TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON: The Pioneering Initiative of the Central African Football Federation
As the CAF TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2025 takes place in Morocco, an innovative project has been launched by the Central African Football Federation: providing academic support to the young players of the national team. Aware of both academic and athletic challenges, the federation has deployed three teachers—specialists in mathematics/physics, French, and history-geography to ensure that education continues for these teenagers during the competition. Commitment from the Central African Federation to the Players' Future Participation in an international competition like the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON is a privilege, but it presents a major challenge: the schooling of young players. Mr. Amédée Nbongo, a member of the executive committee of the Central African Football Federation and head of the delegation for this tournament, emphasizes the importance of this initiative. "We are working with youth who are still in school. At the start of the competition, they had to pause their classes. The Federation therefore took the initiative to set up an academic program so they wouldn't fall behind in their studies', says Nbongo. Each day, the players receive one to two hours of lessons. The schedule is carefully organized to balance matches, training, and academic sessions, without compromising the team's physical or tactical preparation. An Organization Tailored to the Players' Needs To ensure effective support, the teachers use various methods. Basile Doudou Selemy, one of the team's players, explains how he continues learning while staying focused on the tournament: "With my teachers, we decided to use the folder method. They give me lessons and exercises I can work on at my own pace. The teachers are there to help me understand and correct my mistakes." This method combines independence with guidance, allowing players to maintain their educational rhythm. Ousmane Tanko Binguimale, a grade 10 student greatly benefits from this support: "I'm weak in math. But the teachers help us with methods and approaches. Before, I didn't understand equations. Now we've worked on them, and it's going much better." A Structured Academic Program The three teachers sent by the federation created a curriculum based on the players' needs. Mr. Hugues Cyriaque Mokossé Bongolo, mathematics teacher, explains the goal of his lessons: "Today we're working on equations and inequalities, since that's a major area of concern for the students. We adapt to their needs and reinforce the key concepts." In French, the lessons focus on literature and grammar, to help the players express themselves better—especially during post-match interviews. François Koyembe, a national team player, highlights the importance of this training: "It's important to follow French lessons. If I have to give an interview after a match, I want to be able to speak well and show that I have a good command of the language." History and geography lessons help players deepen their knowledge about their country and the world, giving them a better understanding of cultural and historical dynamics. A Driving Force for an Inspiring African Model This initiative is also part of the Safeguarding program launched by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). In June 2023, CAF and its Safeguarding division adopted essential measures to ensure a safe and secure environment for young players. Ganafe Junior, the safeguarding officer for the Central African team, emphasizes the importance of this effort: "An uneducated footballer faces many obstacles. Without a solid education, he may mismanage his career—especially when signing contracts. Too many agents take advantage of players' lack of understanding of legal terms in their agreements." The positive effects of this initiative are already noticeable. Players are developing confidence and independence, reflected in both their academic progress and performance on the field.
CAF
31-03-2025
- Sport
- CAF
MATCH FACTS: Somalia meet Tunisia in Group C at TotalEnergies CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025
Somalia and Tunisia open their Group C campaign at the TotalEnergies CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025 with a clash at the Ben M'Hamed El Abdi Stadium in El Jadida on Tuesday (kick-off 17:00 local time / GMT). This is the first meeting between Somalia and Tunisia at the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON. Somalia, in their debut appearance in 2023, faced North African opponents in the form of their hosts Algeria in their opening group game, losing 2-0. Tunisia are facing a team from East Africa at the finals for the first time. This is Somalia's fourth game at the finals and Tunisia are the fourth different team they are up against, having faced Algeria, Congo and Senegal in the 2023 edition. Tunisia are playing their 14th game at the finals and will see Somalia become the 10th different nation they will be facing along with Botswana, Gabon, Ghana, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa and Togo. SOMALIA FACTS · Somalia are appearing at their second finals and making a second appearance in a row having debuted at the 2023 tournament in Algeria. · Somalia were eliminated at the Group stages in their debut appearance two years ago. They opened up their debut campaign in 2023 with a 2-0 loss against hosts Algeria and then drew 1-1 with Congo, Diini Mohamed scoring their first ever goal at the tournament in the 32nd minute. They then lost their final group game 3-0 to eventual champions Senegal. · In all three of their previous games, Somalia have only taken the lead once, which was in their second pool fixture in 2023 against Congo. Despite going in front in the 32nd minute, they drew the game 1-1. · Somalia came through the CECAFA qualifying tournament, despite losing their first group game 3-0 to South Sudan. They won against Sudan 1-0 in their second fixture. Despite losing to Uganda 4-1 in the semi-finals, a penalty shoot-out win over South Sudan in the play-off for third after a 2-2 draw saw them qualify. · Somalia were champions of the CECAFA Under-17 Championship in 2022 when they beat South Sudan 2-1 in the final. TUNISIA FACTS · Tunisia appeared at the inaugural tournament in 1995. This is their fourth appearance at the finals and first since 2013 when Morocco were previously hosts. · They were eliminated in the group stages on their tournament debut in 1995, while they finished fourth in 2007 and third in 2013. · Tunisia's record in their opening game at the finals reads P3 W2 D1 L0. They registered 2-1 and 3-0 wins over Mozambique in 1995 and Botswana in 2013 respectively. In between they drew 0-0 with Gabon in 2007. · Tunisia are undefeated in their last six group games at the finals (W3 D3), they have gone undefeated in the group stages at their last two finals appearances in 2007 and 2013. · In their last tournament appearance in 2013, Tunisia began their group campaign with successive wins over Botswana 3-1 and Gabon 4-2, before drawing with hosts Morocco 1-1. They then lost to Nigeria 4-2 in the semi-finals and defeated Morocco on penalties in the third place play-off match after an initial 1-1 draw. · Tunisia's last group stage loss was in their final pool game in 1995, a 7-0 defeat against Ghana. · Tunisia qualified for the finals when they finished third in the 2024 UNAF U17 tournament. They began with successive wins over Algeria (1-0) and Libya (2-1), before drawing with Morocco (2-2). They lost their final game to Egypt (3-2) but finished in third and secured their qualification. · Anisse Saidi, based at San Diego FC in the United States, was their top scorer in qualifying with four goals.
