Hosts Morocco were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Tunisia in an intense North African derby at the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 on Wednesday evening.
Backed by strong home support at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium, the defending champions dominated possession for long periods but were frustrated by a disciplined Tunisian side.
Tunisia struck first in the 27th minute through Yahya Jlidi, whose composed finish stunned the home crowd and handed the Carthage Eaglets a valuable lead heading into halftime.
Morocco responded with greater urgency after the break, pushing forward in search of an equaliser as Tunisia remained compact defensively and dangerous on the counterattack.
The hosts finally found a breakthrough in the 76th minute when Ilian Hadidi finished clinically to bring Morocco level and ignite celebrations inside the stadium.
Despite late pressure from the home side, Tunisia held firm to secure an important point in a tightly contested Group A encounter.
The result leaves the group wide open following Egypt and Ethiopia’s goalless draw aftera tightly contested Group A encounter earlier in the day.
Uganda made a dream start to their campaign with a convincing 3-0 victory over debutants DR Congo in their Group B clash on Wednesday.
Côte d’Ivoire made an emphatic start with a 2-0 victory over Cameroon.
The result gives Côte d’Ivoire an ideal start in what is expected to be one of the tournament’s most competitive groups, which also includes Uganda and debutants DR Congo.-CAF
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