Sawane's Goal Clinches U-17 AFCON Title For Senegal

Mamadou Sawane's late goal secured a historic victory for Senegal, as they came from behind to defeat Morocco 2-1 and clinch their first-ever TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.

The Teranga Cubs showcased their resilience and determination, scoring twice in four minutes to complete a remarkable turnaround.

Morocco took the lead in the 14th minute when skipper Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal found the back of the net from an Abdel Hamid Maali corner.

The goal provided a sense of calm for Morocco, while Senegal came close to equalizing through skipper Amara Diouf's freekick, narrowly missing the target.

The game continued to be a closely contested affair, with both teams vying for possession and opportunities at goal becoming scarce.

However, Senegal emerged from halftime with renewed vigour. Just 45 seconds into the second half, Mamadou Sadio's shot sailed over the bar, signalling their intent.

Senegal's fortunes changed in the 76th minute when the Moroccan captain, Ait Boudlal, was deemed to have handled the ball inside the box.

After a VAR review, a penalty was awarded and Serigne Falou Diouf converted the spot-kick, sparking a resurgence for Senegal.

Building on the momentum, Senegal intensified their pressure on Morocco in the closing stages of the match.

Their persistence paid off just four minutes later when substitute Mamadou Sawane rose above the defense to head home from a corner, securing the decisive goal that shattered Morocco's hopes.

The goal left the entire Moroccan team deflated, and even the presence of senior national team coach Walid Regragui, who had come to witness the final, could not mask his disappointment.

Senegal managed to hold off Morocco's attempts in the remaining minutes, including six minutes of added time, to secure a historic victory and claim their first U17 Afcon title.

The triumph adds to Senegal's recent string of successes in continental competitions.

Their team of locally-based players won the Africa Nations Championship (Chan) title in February, followed by the U20 AFCON title in Egypt in March.

The senior national team started the winning streak by clinching the AFCON 2021 crown and later securing the AFCON Beach Soccer title.