TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON: Tanzania edge Algeria in dramatic quarter-final thriller
Tanzania reached the semi-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 after beating Algeria 4-3 on penalties following a dramatic 3-3 draw in their quarter-final on Sunday.
Tanzania 3 (4-3 pens) 3 Algeria
Scorers: Dismas Athanasis (25’, 61’), Luqman Mbalasalu (45+8’) / Muhammad Valmy (4’, 40’), Noam Benderamdane (65’)
The East Africans held their nerve in the shootout after a thrilling match in which Algeria led twice, Tanzania came from behind twice, and both sides produced one of the most entertaining games of the tournament.
Dismas Athanasis scored twice for Tanzania, while Luqman Mbalasalu also found the net in first-half stoppage time.
Muhammad Valmy struck twice for Algeria, with Noam Benderamdane scoring their third goal after Tanzania had taken the lead in the second half.
The result sends Tanzania into the last four and continues their impressive run at the tournament, where they have emerged as one of the strongest stories of the competition.
Both teams had already secured qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup by reaching the quarter-finals, but this tie was about a place in the semi-finals and the chance to continue the fight for the continental title.
Algeria made a flying start and went ahead after only four minutes when Valmy finished clinically to put the young Fennecs in control.
Tanzania, however, refused to be shaken by the early setback and grew into the contest.
Their response came in the 25th minute when Athanasis scored to make it 1-1, giving the East Africans renewed belief.
Algeria regained the lead five minutes before the break, with Valmy scoring his second of the match in the 40th minute.
But Tanzania delivered another response deep into first-half added time, as Mbalasalu struck in the 45+8 minute to send the teams into the interval level at 2-2.
The momentum shifted after the restart, and Tanzania went ahead for the first time in the 61st minute when Athanasis completed his brace.
That goal placed Algeria under serious pressure, but they showed character to find a way back.
Benderamdane equalised in the 65th minute, making it 3-3 and setting up a tense finish to an already breathless quarter-final.
Both sides pushed for a winner in normal time, but neither could find the decisive goal.
The match was eventually settled by penalties, where Tanzania showed greater composure to win 4-3 and seal their place in the semi-finals.
For Algeria, it was a painful end after they had fought back from 3-2 down and looked capable of going further in the competition.
The young Fennecs had come through a difficult Group D, where they finished level on points with Ghana but advanced because of their better goal difference.
They also produced one of the standout individual performers of the tournament in Yacine Abid, who had earlier scored twice against South Africa.
But their journey in the race for the U-17 AFCON title ended in a shootout.
For Tanzania, the victory confirmed their status as one of the revelations of the tournament.
They had topped Group C with strong performances before the quarter-finals, and their resilience against Algeria showed they have the mentality to match their attacking quality.
The win also means Tanzania will now wait to learn their semi-final opponent as they continue their pursuit of a historic continental crown.
Match details
Tanzania 3-3 Algeria
Tanzania won 4-3 on penalties
Scorers: Dismas Athanasis 25’, 61’, Luqman Mbalasalu 45+8’ / Muhammad Valmy 4’, 40’, Noam Benderamdane 65’
Competition: TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 quarter-final
Date: Sunday, 24 May 2026
Outcome: Tanzania qualify for the semi-finals