Rabat, Morocco – (African Boulevard News) – The 2023 U17 Africa Cup of Nations kicked off with a thrilling encounter between Morocco and South Africa in the city of Constantine. Unfortunately, the South African Amajimbos had to endure a 2-0 defeat in their first match against the hosts, Morocco.
Morocco, who are the reigning champions of the competition, controlled the game from the start and took the lead through an early goal from Hamza Belghiti. The Moroccan team continued to dominate the game but were unable to extend their lead until the second half, when Mohamed Alioui doubled the advantage.
Despite the loss, the South African coach, Vela Khumalo, took positives from the match, saying that his team fought hard and played with courage against a tough opposition.
“I’m proud of my boys, they gave their all today. We lost the game, but we learned a lot from it. We will come back stronger in the next match,” said Khumalo.
The South Africans struggled to keep possession of the ball throughout the match, with Morocco pressuring them and forcing them to make mistakes. The Amajimbos had a few chances to score, but they were unable to capitalize on them.
Morocco’s head coach, Rachid Taoussi, was pleased with his team’s performance, saying that they played well and deserved the victory.
“We planned well for this game, and the boys executed the plan perfectly. We scored early and kept the pressure on, which led to our second goal. I’m happy with the win, but we know there’s still a lot of work to do,” said Taoussi.
The Moroccan team will face Tunisia in their next match, while South Africa will play against Zambia in what promises to be another exciting encounter.
In conclusion, the South African Amajimbos suffered a disappointing defeat in their opening match, but they can take pride in the fact that they fought hard against a strong and experienced Moroccan team. With two more games to go in the group stage, they will have an opportunity to redeem themselves and make it to the knockout stage.
