Senegal and Morocco have progressed to the final of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations following their respective 5-4 and 6-5 penalty shootout victories over Burkina Faso and Mali on Sunday.
The Teranga Cubs were fresh off a 5-0 bashing of South Africa in the quarter-finals and wasted no time against the Burkinabe with Abdou Fall giving them in the lead in the 16th minute.
Amara Diouf had the chance to double Senegal’s lead in the 51st from the penalty spot but he missed before Burkina Faso responded seven minutes from time through Rachide Ouedraogo.
Soulaymane Alio missed Burkina Faso’s fifth penalty during the shootout while Diouf converted his to continue Senegal’s journey in Algeria having never gone past the group stage in two previous attempts.
In other semi-final between Morocco and Mali, both sides played out a goalless draw for 90 minutes.
Both teams missed two penalties during the shootout, forcing it into suddenly death. Gaoussou Kone missed for Mali and Fouad Zahouani scored the winning penalty to send the North Africans to their first-ever U-17 AFCON final.
✌️ penalty shootout victories for ???????? and ????????
Sunday’s results ????#TotalEnergiesAFCONU17 pic.twitter.com/WVwWmR0ac8
— #TotalEnergiesAFCONU17 2023 ???? (@CAF_Online) May 14, 2023
The final will take place at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers on Friday while the third/fourth place match hold at the 19 May 1956 Stadium in Annaba a day earlier.
