The Egyptian U-17 national football team suffered a 4-3 defeat against their South African counterparts in a match on Monday evening at the Arabi Zouali Stadium in Casablanca, as part of the second round of Group B matches in the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
The match witnessed a fiery start, with Simphiwe Mdlalose surprising the Egyptian team with an early goal for South Africa in the first minute. However, the “Young Pharaohs” quickly responded with two consecutive goals scored by Roshdy Anes in the fourth and thirteenth minutes, turning the tables on their opponents.
Hamza Abdel Karim extended Egypt’s lead by scoring the third goal in the eighteenth minute, giving his team a comfortable advantage.
However, the South African national team displayed a high fighting spirit. Neo Baloyi managed to narrow the gap by scoring a penalty in the twenty-sixth minute, before the same player returned to equalize with another penalty in the fortieth minute, reigniting the match atmosphere. In the second half, the South African team continued their intense pressure. Emile Witbooi scored the decisive winning goal in the seventy-first minute, securing a thrilling victory for his national team.
In another match within the same group, Burkina Faso achieved a valuable 2-1 victory over Cameroon, thereby enhancing their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages of the tournament.
