Morocco Fly High, As Nigeria And South Africa Hustle For Second-Best - U17 AFCON Group B Preview

Morocco Fly High, As Nigeria And South Africa Hustle For Second-Best - U17 AFCON Group B Preview 

By Gbenga Gboyega 

Morocco remained top of Group B standings following two wins from two games, as Nigeria and South Africa both lost once, leaving Zambia rooted to the bottom after two defeats. 

BSNSports.com.ng takes an analytic preview into the Golden Eaglets' group after two Matchdays with Morocco flying high, while Nigeria and South Africa both hustle for second-best places. 

The Atlas Cubs of Morocco started their campaign with two late second-half goals, with one from Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal in the 73rd minute from the penalty spot, and the other from Adam Hanin in the 83rd minute, to register South Africa's first loss. 

The Amajimbos of South Africa then recovered in the second game, with a 3-2 narrow win over Zambia in a keenly contested five-goal thriller, with head Coach Duncan Crowie crediting the win for the Amajimbos to the early brace scored by Vicky Mkhawana. 

Vicky scored in the 12th and 31st minutes of the first half, which gave the third goal by Michael Folabi Dokunmu in the 76th minute a meaning, despite the comeback scare by Zambia's Emmanuel Mwanza's three-minute brace in the 45th and 48th.

The Junior Chopolopolo of Zambia consequently remained rooted to the bottom of Group B after two games without a win, considering the loss against the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria in Game 1. 

Nigeria also started their campaign with a 1-0 win, but Game 2 was inversely proportional to the first, as Nigeria fell to Morocco by equal measure. 

Nigeria occupies second position based on goal difference, after scoring and conceding one goal apiece, which is better than South Africa's -1 tally having conceded more (4) than scored (3). 

Game 3 will determine who joins Morocco in the knockout stages with the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria and the Amajimbos of South Africa going neck to neck in a make or mar encounter. 

Zambia looks down and out with their third game against Morocco deemed inconsequential regardless of the results after amassing zero points thus far. 

Nigeria will face South Africa on Saturday, 6th of May 2023, by 8 pm Nigerian time.