Rabat, Morocco – (African Boulevard News) – Morocco’s national U17 football team is set to face Mali in the semifinals of the TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Constantine on Sunday. Head coach Said Chiba has acknowledged the difficulty of the task ahead, with his team taking on a formidable Mali side.
In a recent interview, Chiba expressed his respect and admiration for the Malian team, saying “they are a very good side with a lot of quality in their ranks.” He also noted that his team will need to work hard and play intelligently to overcome their opponents. “We need to be focused and efficient because Mali is a very strong team, technically and physically,” he said.
The Morocco team has been in good form throughout the tournament, winning three out of their four group stage games before edging past Cameroon in the quarterfinals. However, Chiba has warned his players that they face a completely different challenge against Mali. “This is a semifinal, and we know that it’s not going to be easy. We have to fight until the end and give everything we have,” he said.
Mali, on the other hand, has been one of the standout teams of the tournament so far. They finished top of their group with a perfect record of four wins out of four, scoring 11 goals and conceding just once. In the quarterfinals, they swept aside Guinea with a convincing 3-0 victory.
The Malian team boasts a number of exciting young talents, including striker Youssouf Kone, who has scored four goals in four games so far, and midfielder Amadou Traore, who has been a key creative force in midfield. However, Chiba is confident that his team has the ability to compete with the Malians. “We know that we have a good team with good potential, and we will do everything we can to win,” he said.
The winner of the match between Morocco and Mali will advance to the final of the U17 AFCON, where they will face either Ivory Coast or Nigeria. The match promises to be a thrilling encounter between two talented and motivated teams, and fans of African football are eagerly anticipating what should be a great spectacle.
