MATCH FACTS: Top two clash in Group B at TotalEnergies CAF U17 Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025
Burkina Faso and South Africa occupy the top two places in Group B as they head into their final pool game at the TotalEnergies CAF U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025 to be played at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca on Sunday (kick-off 18h00 local time / GMT).
Burkina Faso have six points from their opening two fixtures, while South Africa have four. A win for either side would see them qualify for the quarter-finals as pool inners.
The top two teams in each pool advance to the knockout rounds, and the 2025 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar, while the sides that finish third in the four pools will play-off for the two remaining spots.The nations are meeting for the first time at the TotalEnergies CAF U17 AFCON.
A draw will see both teams progress to the knockout stage, Burkina Faso as Group B winners and South Africa as runners up.
Burkina Faso have faced COSAFA member nations five times previously and are undefeated (W4 D1).
Burkina Faso have only failed to defeated a COSAFA member nation once which was against Zimbabwe in 1999 a 0-0 draw. Since then they have defeated Seychelles 4-1 in 2001, Zimbabwe 5-0 and Malawi 2-0 in the 2009 all these games were in the group stages. They also won 3-2 against Malawi in the play-off for third in 2009.
South Africa have lost their last three games against West African opponents, losing to Mali in the 2015 final and then Nigeria in the group stages and Senegal in the quarter-final in 2023.
South Africa’s last win against West African opponents was against Nigeria in the semi-final in 2015 a 1-0 win. Overall South Africa’s record against West African opponents reads P11 W2 D3 L6.
South Africa’s only wins against West African opponents were 1-0 win against Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria in the 2005 group stages and 2015 semi-finals both games ending 1-0.
All three of South Africa’s draws against West African teams have ended 2-2. All have been at the group stages in 2005 against Nigeria and 2015 against Cote d’ Ivoire and Mali.
BURKINA FASO FACTS
· Burkina Faso through to the knockout stages for a sixth time along with 1999, 2001, 2009, 2011 and 2023.
· They have gone beyond the group stages for a fourth successive finals in which they are participating along with 2009, 2011 and 2023.
· They have now progressed to the knockout stages in all three tournaments that they have participated in that have been hosted in North Africa, finished third in two tournaments hosted by Algeria in 2009 and 2023.
· They have qualified for the FIFA U17 World Cup for a sixth time.
· They have not lost in open play in their last six games at the finals (W5 D1), they won against Cameroon in their final group game, then defeated Nigeria in the Quarter-finals and lost to Senegal on penalties in the last four before winning against Mali in the paly-off for third. They won both their games against Cameroon and Egypt at the current finals.
· Victory will see them win all three group games for the second time and first since 2009.
· The last six games Burkina Faso have won at the finals have been 2-1 wins, their last win by a bigger margin than a single goal was a 4-0 triumph over Egypt in their final group game in 2011.
SOUTH AFRICA FACTS
· South Africa began with a 4-3 win against Egypt and then drew their last game against Cameroon 0-0.
· South Africa in five participations at the tournament have now never lost their second group game, their record in this game reads P4 W3 D2 L0.
· South Africa kept a clean-sheet at the finals for the first time against Cameroon since a 1-0 win over Nigeria in the 2015 semi-finals. They had conceded a goal in each of their previous six games at the finals conceding 15 goals in these games.
· Should they reach the knockout stages it will be the fourth time along with 2005, 2015 and 2023 that South Africa would progress beyond the group stages.
· Progression to the last eight will see South Africa go beyond the group stages for a third successive finals that they are participating in along with 2015 and 2023.
· Should they move onto the knockout rounds it will be the fourth time along with 2005, 2015 and 2023 that South Africa would progress beyond the group stages. The only previous occasion they left the tournament in the group phase was in 2007.
· Should South Africa move on to the next round they will have qualified for the FIFA U17 World Cup for a second time and first since 2015.
· South Africa in four previous participations at the tournament have lost their final group game once previously. Their record reads P4 W2 D1 L1.
· Previously in their final group game South Africa managed to defeat the Cote d’Ivoire 1-0 in 2005, while in 2007 they drew 2-2 with Tunisia and in 2015 they won 3-1 against Cameroon. At the last finals in 2023 they lost to Nigeria 3-2, a game in which they had twice lead.
· Playing in their 19th game at the finals against Cameroon, it was the first time that South Africa were involved in a 0-0 draw.
· South Africa have gone undefeated in their opening two group games at the finals for the third time along with 2005 (DW) and 2015 (DD).
· Should South Africa avoid defeat they will go through a group stage without losing for the third time along with 2005 (DWW) and 2015 (DDW).
· In their draw with Cameroon, the South African’s failed to have a shot on target.
· South Africa faced nine shots on target in their game against Cameroon, the most they have faced since facing 11 in their 3-2 loss to Nigeria in their final group game in 2023.
· Radebe made nine saves in the game against Cameroon, the most in a single game by any goalkeeper thus far at the finals.