U-17 AFCON semis: Host Morocco clash with Cote d’Ivoire …Burkina Faso face Mali
Hosts Morocco will take on Cote d’Ivoire in their CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-final at the El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia on today at 19:00 GMT.
This is the second meeting between Morocco and Cote d’Ivoire at the TotalEnergies CAF U17 AFCON. Their previous clash was also at the semi-final stage with Morocco as hosts in 2013. Cote d’Ivoire won that game 2-1.
The Ivoirians are meeting a host nation for the fourth time. Their record against the tournament hosts reads P3 W2 L1. They won 7-0 against Botswana at the group stages in 1999, defeated Morocco in the last four in 2013 and in between lost to Rwanda 1-0 in the semi-final in 2011.
Morocco have only faced West African teams in the last four.
In addition to losing to Cote d’Ivoire in 2013, they overcame Mali on penalties after a 0-0 draw in 2023, winning the shoot-out 6-5.
Before that game Burkina Faso and Mali clash in the first semi-final match at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca at 16:00 GMT.
Burkina Faso and Mali will clash for a sixth time at the TotalEnergies CAF U17 AFCON having previously met in 1999, 2001, 2005 and twice in 2023.
Of their previous five meetings Burkina Faso has three wins to Mali’s two. All five of their previous games have produced a winner and there is yet to be a draw in this fixture.
The teams first met at the tournament in 1999, Burkina Faso winning a semi-final clash 1-0. They again faced off in the group stages in 2001 with another 1-0 victory for Burkina Faso.
With Burkina Faso and Mali meeting in this game, it means we will have a West African team in the final for a 14th edition in a row, keeping up the tradition of having at least one representative from the region since 1995.—CAF
