Egypt Wallop Libya To Emerge North African Champions, Pick U17 AFCON Ticket

Egypt Wallop Libya To Emerge North African Champions, Pick U17 AFCON Ticket

 By Admin

The Egyptian U-17 National Team claimed the UNAF U-17 Championship title after a dominant 7-1 victory over Libya in their final match of the qualifiers.

The tournament, held in Casablanca, Morocco, served as a qualifier for the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). With this win, Egypt secured their spot in the continental tournament, marking their fourth appearance and the first since 2011.

Egypt opened the scoring early through Hamza Abdelkarem in the 3rd minute with a precise low strike from the edge of the box. In the 27th minute, Mohamed Hamd doubled Egypt’s lead with a powerful shot from inside the penalty area.

Hamd struck again shortly after halftime, netting Egypt’s third in the 47th minute after a one-on-one with the Libyan goalkeeper. Abdelkarem added his second and Egypt’s fourth in the 53rd minute, finishing a smooth team move.

Belal Ateya capitalized on a goalkeeping error in the 63rd minute, slotting home Egypt’s fifth goal.

Libya’s sole response came in the 73rd minute through Mondher El-Qamati, but Ateya stole the show in the closing stages. He completed his hat-trick with goals in the 84th minute and stoppage time, capping off a stellar performance with a thunderous strike for Egypt’s seventh.

The 2024 UNAF U-17 Tournament featured five teams competing in a single group format, with the top two qualifying for the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be hosted by Ivory Coast.

Egypt topped the group with nine points, followed by Morocco (8 points), Tunisia (7 points), Algeria (4 points), and Libya (0 points).

Egypt’s head coach Ahmed El-Kass delivered on his promise to bounce back after a heavy 5-1 defeat to Morocco earlier in the tournament. “We never gave up,” El-Kass emphasized after the loss, rallying his team to three crucial victories over Algeria, Tunisia and Libya.

Egypt last won the U-17 AFCON in 1997 and will now aim to make an impact in the 2025 edition. The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, where the best-performing African teams will represent the continent.