MATCH FACTS: Hosts Morocco set for Zambia test at TotalEnergies CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025
Hosts Morocco and Zambia both recorded big wins in their Group A openers at the TotalEnergies CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025 and now go head-to-head in their second pool fixture at the El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia on Thursday (kick-off 20:00 local time / GMT).
The pair meet at the finals for a second edition in a row having contested their final group game in 2023. Morocco were already pool winners on that occasion as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat with Zambia taking the honours on the day.
Zambia meet a host nation at the finals for the second time. They defeated Niger 2-1 in their second group game in 2015.
Hosts Morocco and Zambia both recorded big wins in their Group A openers at the TotalEnergies CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025 and now go head-to-head in their second pool fixture at the El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia on Thursday (kick-off 20:00 local time / GMT).
The pair meet at the finals for a second edition in a row having contested their final group game in 2023. Morocco were already pool winners on that occasion as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat with Zambia taking the honours on the day.
Zambia meet a host nation at the finals for the second time. They defeated Niger 2-1 in their second group game in 2015.
ZAMBIA FACTS
· Zambia began their 2025 campaign with a 4-1 win over Tanzania in their opening game of the tournament.
· Zambia won their opening game at the finals for the first time after losing first up in 2015 to Guinea and in 2023 to Nigeria. Both were 1-0 losses.
· Zambia’s win over Tanzania was their biggest at the finals. It was the first time they had scored more than two goals in a game.
· The win over Tanzania means that Zambia have won their last two games at the finals. They also won their final group game in 2023 against Morocco.
· Zambia’s record in their second group game reads P2 W1 D0 L1. They previously defeated hosts Niger 2-1 in 2015 and lost 3-2 in 2023 to South African.
· In their opening win over Tanzania, Zambia scored their four goals from five shots on target.
· Zambia goalkeeper Roger Sinumba had an 80% success rate, saving four of the five shots he faced.
· Zambia only had 40% of the possession against Tanzania,
· Victory against Morocco will see Zambia win back-to-back games at the same edition of the finals for the first time.
· Zambia have now played seven games at the finals and have conceded in each one. They are yet to keep a clean sheet.
MOROCCO FACTS
· Morocco registered their biggest win at the finals with a 5-0 success over Uganda in their opening game. Morocco have still never lost their opening game at the finals (W3 D1).
· Morocco as hosts have now won their opening game at both editions, in 2013 they defeated Gabon 4-1 in their opening game.
· Victory for Morocco over Zambia will see them start with back-to-back wins for the third time, along with 2013 and 2013.
· Morocco’s record in their second group game at the finals reads P3 W2 D0 L1. They managed a 3-0 win over Botswana in 2013 and a 1-0 victory over Nigeria in 2023. They lost to Cameroon in between in 2019, a 2-1 defeat.
· Morocco have now managed to score in their last six games at the finals. They last failed to score in their final group game against Guinea in 2019, a 1-0 loss.
· Morocco managed six shots on target in their opening game against Uganda. They scored with five of them.
· Overall, the Moroccans managed eight shots at goal, which sees them have an overall shot conversion rate of 75%.
· Morocco made 318 accurate passes in their win over Uganda, the most number of passes on record that they have completed in a single game at the finals.