South Africa has won their first TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations title on Sunday night. They beat Morocco 1-0 in a tense final match held at Cairo’s June 30 Stadium.
Gomolemo Kekana scored the winning goal in the 70th minute. He fired a powerful shot from outside the box that curled into the top corner.
Gomolemo Kekana’s lone goal was a stunning, decisive strike that secured South Africa’s historic 1-0 victory. The goal came in the 70th minute of the match, with Kekana unleashing a powerful right-footed effort from outside the box that bent into the top corner.
The goal was awarded after a VAR review, breaking the deadlock in a tense contest dominated by tactical discipline and defensive organisation.
Kekana’s goal capped a superb tournament for South Africa, who had never reached a U-20 AFCON final since 1997. This victory marked a significant moment for South African youth football, ending a run of five previous defeats to North African opponents by a single goal margin.
“It’s a dream come true. We worked so hard for this moment,” said Kekana after the game.
The final was tough. Both teams showed strong defence and careful tactics. Morocco had never lost to South Africa in this tournament before.
South Africa Shows Strength After Early Setback
South Africa started the tournament with a loss to Egypt. But they bounced back with strong wins against DR Congo and Nigeria. The team improved with every match and entered the final in top form.
Goalkeeper Fletcher Lowe was a key figure throughout the competition. He made 24 saves in total, the most by any keeper in the tournament. “We promised each other we’d give everything,” Lowe said.
Morocco started the game better and had more chances in the first half. Players like Jones El Abdellaoui and Ilias Boumassaoudi came close to scoring, but Lowe kept them out.
Morocco’s Unbeaten Run Ends as South Africa Holds On
Morocco came out strong again after the break. Othmane Maamma and Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal pushed forward but could not score. Kekana’s goal turned the tide.
After scoring, South Africa defended well and stayed calm under pressure. Tylon Smith and Sfiso Timba led the backline, keeping Morocco from scoring until the end.
South Africa’s title win means they are now the 12th country to lift the U-20 AFCON trophy. It also ended their poor run against North African teams, having lost their past five matches narrowly.
Kekana’s winning strike was the team’s ninth goal in the tournament. Each goal played a big role in their journey to victory.
Morocco, on the other hand, saw their 14-match unbeaten record in the U-20 AFCON come to an end. They still have only one title from past editions.
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