Egypt U-17 Profile
Egypt head to the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations with clear intent of ending what has been a 28-year wait to enjoy continental silverware.
The North African side will only be making their fourth TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON finals appearance, with their success in the competition dating as far back as 1997 when they won it in a slender 1-0 win over Mali.
Since then, the Egyptians have fallen short of continental success with the closest attempt being a fourth-place finish in the 2003 edition played in Eswatini.
Despite only having one title to their name in the competition, the young Egyptians head to Morocco as one of the teams to watch.
How They Qualified
Egypt’s qualification to the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations came as a result of them winning the UNAF Qualifiers played in Morocco last year.
The round-robin tournament which included hosts Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia saw the Egyptians finish first to officially be crowned champions of the North African region and secure their fourth ticket to the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON.
History in the competition
The Egyptians are yet to rubber stamp their authority at this level on the continent. After their impressive 1997 showing that concluded with them bring crowned champions, the side is yet to emulate their success to this date.
Egypt finished fourth in the 2003 edition which was their last podium finish before the 2011 showing that saw them bow out in the group stages.
Key Player to Watch
Hamza Mohamed Abdel Karim will be key for the Egyptians in their quest to lift a second continental title.
The dangerous forward who is on the books of Egyptian giants Al Ahly’s youth division is eager to make a mark for himself at the highest level and will be a focal point for the Egyptian attack.
The forward also walked away with the Golden Boot award at the UNAF qualifiers.
Coach & Tactical Approach
Just like their senior counterparts, Egypt have a very quick and highly technical style of play that is very difficult to contain.
They will be led by coach Ahmed El-Kass, former Egyptian national team player who represented the Pharaohs between 1987 – 1997, scoring 25 goals in national team colours.
Coach Ahmed El-Kass’ victory in the UNAF qualifiers came as a disciplined defense that remains resolute under immense pressure.
The side also has the ability of attacking from the middle, affording them various options of attack going forward.
Tournament Expectations & Group Analysis
With two former champions in Burkina Faso and Cameroon along with a spirited South African side, the Young Pharaohs will have to be at their very best to make it out of a tough Group B.
Burkina Faso – A strong contender for the title that is working towards reclaiming the title they lifted in 2011.
Cameroon – Two-time champions and one of the most successful nations in the tournament, Cameroon are aiming for a record third title to make them the most successful nation in this age category.
South Africa – Runners-up in the 2015 edition in Niger, they finished third in their qualifiers and aiming to go all the way in this year’s edition.