U17 AFCON: Senegal or Morocco, who will make history?
Who will win this year's U17 AFCON? The answer comes at 21:00 GMT, when Senegal and Morocco meet in the final.
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"A final isn't played, it's won." Like an anthem in football, that saying will once again ring true this Friday, 20 May. The U17 AFCON final (21:00 GMT) is a high-calibre showpiece. Senegal and Morocco are two sides with great potential. Tonight, both camps will want to finish this adventure in the best possible way. This clash of the Lion Cubs promises to be a thriller.
The Senegalese have cruised through the competition and are the rightful favourites to lift the trophy. After three group-stage wins, the Teranga Lion Cubs thrashed South Africa 5-0 in the quarter-finals, before beating Burkina Faso on penalties (1-1, 5-4) at this U17 AFCON. "A final is a moment for players to write their names into the pantheon of African football. That means beating Morocco. It will no doubt be a hard-fought match. Morocco are a side who know how to keep the ball and create some fine passing sequences. We aren't going to change our way of playing. It's up to us to be ready", says Senegal head coach Serigne Saliou Dia.
Read more on the same subject:U17 AFCON: full results and fixtures
The Atlas Lion Cubs also want to etch their names in the collective memory of the U17 AFCON. But first they must get past an imposing Senegalese armada. No matter. "Throughout the matches at this Africa Cup, Senegal have shown they have a very competitive team. We know them and they know us. We have prepared the best possible plan. With all due respect to our opponents, we have our chances too. We have already shown over two years that we can beat anyone. We have to produce a great performance in this final to deserve the Cup", says Morocco coach Abdellah El Idrissi.
The Moroccans have suffered only one defeat at this U17 AFCON, against Zambia (2-1). Otherwise, they beat hosts Algeria 3-0 in the quarter-finals, before beating Mali on penalties in the semi-finals.
The two sides know each other well. Before the start of this U17 AFCON, Morocco (7 goals scored, 1 conceded) had won 2-1 at home against Senegal (13 goals scored, 1 conceded) in a friendly. This time, the stakes are high. Each nation wants to win the title for the first time. Senegal had never got past the group stage, while Morocco have already finished fourth, in 2013.
Jim CEESAY