Morocco U20 coach Ouahbi shifts focus to ‘fierce’ South Africa after Egypt triumph

Morocco U-20 head coach Mohamed Ouahbi says his team’s journey is far from over despite reaching the final of the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2025, following a 1-0 victory over hosts Egypt in Thursday’s semi-final in Cairo.

A goal early in the second half was enough to settle a tightly contested North African derby at the Air Defense Stadium and send the Atlas Cubs into their first U-20 AFCON final since 2005.

Speaking after the match, Ouahbi admitted that while the pressure had been immense, the result was a reflection of his squad’s preparation, unity, and belief in their mission.

“The happiness I feel is the same as that of the players and the Moroccan fans,” Ouahbi said.

“We worked hard, made sacrifices, and when you succeed in achieving your objectives, everything becomes worth it.”

Morocco had set their sights firmly on two goals entering the tournament: qualifying for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025, and reaching the final of Africa’s premier youth competition.

Both targets have now been achieved, but Ouahbi insists there is one more critical step to take.

“The most important match has not yet been played,” he added.

“The final is still ahead, and it will be against a South African team that has shown great quality throughout the tournament.”

South Africa, who edged Nigeria 1-0 in the other semi-final in Ismailia, will meet Morocco in Sunday’s final at Cairo International Stadium.

The Amajita are making their second-ever appearance in the U-20 AFCON final, having finished runners-up in 1997.

Ouahbi was quick to praise his upcoming opponents, calling them “a fierce competitor,” and stressing the need for his team to recover quickly and stay focused.

“We have a lot of respect for the South African team,” he said.

“They’re strong, organised, and they don’t give anything away easily. We’ll celebrate tonight, but then we rest, recover, and plan carefully for the biggest match of our lives.”

Morocco’s path to the final has been built on discipline and resilience. They finished top of their group without conceding a goal, then edged Sierra Leone in the quarter-finals thanks to an extra-time own goal. Their semi-final win over Egypt was their third 1-0 result in five matches.

Now, just one match stands between Ouahbi’s men and history.

“We’ve come a long way,” the coach concluded. “But we must now prove that we are the best. That’s what finals are for.”

Kick-off for the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and South Africa is set for Sunday, 18 May in Cairo.