South Africa are the 2025 CAF U20 African champions for the first time in history, after beating Morocco 1-0 in the U20 Africa Cup of Nations final at the Cairo International Stadium on Sunday night.
It was a rematch steeped in history — a revival of a fixture last seen in the 1997 African Youth Championship final, when Shakes Mashaba’s South African side, without their suspended tournament star Benni McCarthy, fell narrowly to Morocco, 1-0. Neither side had made a final since.
Fast forward 28 years, and it was Raymond Mdaka leading a new generation of Amajita into the U20 AFCON final. This was a team that had weathered its share of challenges — both in preparation and throughout the tournament — to earn a place on the grand stage. It wasn’t exactly a revenge match for 1997 – none of these players were born then – but it was a chance for this Amajita squad to prove their worth.
Amajita opened their campaign with a narrow loss to hosts Egypt — a performance that, despite the result, set the tone. They rebounded with wins over Tanzania and Sierra Leone, and a draw against Zambia sealed top spot in their group. Gritty knockout victories over DR Congo and Nigeria followed, securing their place in the final.
Morocco’s path was equally resolute: group-stage wins over Kenya and Tunisia, a draw with Nigeria, and hard-fought triumphs against Sierra Leone and Egypt in the knockouts.
After a steady start, Amajita almost pounced on a defensive error as Jody Ah Shene pounced on a loose pass in the third minute, but Yanis Benchaouch was able to close down the striker and made a good save.
In the 12th minute, Ilias Boumassaoudi got a good opportunity for a shot in the box, but Tylon Smith, one of the standout defenders of the tournament, made a good block to deny him. Five minutes later, Ah Shene had another chance, but his effort lacked power and was easily saved, while Mfundo Vilkazi skied his 20th-minute attempt. Fletcher Smythe-Lowe made a great save a minute later to deny Boumassaoudi, and from the counter-attack, Benchaouch was called into action to stop a good shot from Shakeel April, who had run the distance of the pitch.
Smythe-Lowe did well to get down to save a tricky shot from Mouad Dahak in the 24th minute, as the game started to open up. Gomolemo Kekana couldn’t keep his shot down as he tried from range on the half-hour mark.
After a lull in play, Amajita began to show promise, with the Moroccans resorting to fouls to stop their progress. Though it was Morocco on the counter, who would get the next chance, but Smythe-Lowe made light work of Jones El Abdellaoui’s shot at goal in the 43rd minute. Two minutes later Vilakazi was off target again at the other end. It would be the last chance of a goalless first half.
Morocco carved out a golden opportunity in the 51st minute, but Amajita’s defence stood tall — a brilliant piece of last-ditch defending denying El Abdellaoui just as he looked poised to strike.
The second half unfolded as a midfield chess match, with neither side giving much away. El Abdellaoui threatened again in the 67th minute, rising well but unable to steer his header on target. He followed up with two more efforts soon after, both comfortably handled by the ever-composed Smythe-Lowe between the posts.
Then came the breakthrough.
With Morocco pressing forward, Smythe-Lowe launched a pinpoint ball over the top, finding Gomolemo Kekana, who composed himself before unleashing a sublime finish into the back of the net.
The flag was raised — offside!! But after a tense VAR review, the goal stood. Kekana was onside, and South Africa led 1–0 with twenty minutes to play.
There were nerves on both sides in the final stages, as Amajita held onto their lead, with the Moroccans desperate for an equaliser.
Thabang Mahlangu had a chance to double the lead in the 81st minute, but his shot was deflected behind by a defender. Two minutes later, Morocco looked almost certain to score, but Othmane Maamma was unable to get his header on target with an open goal looming.
April had a chance to wrap it up in the 88th minute, but after another excellent run by the Cape Town City winger, he was denied by Benchaouch.
The young Moroccans threw everything in the final stages, and the question was, could Amajita hold on?
They could – and South Africa were U20 Afri champions for the first time in history.
Earlier in the evening, Nigeria clinched the bronze medal, edging past hosts Egypt in a dramatic penalty shootout after their clash ended 1-1 in regulation time.
