Egypt will take on Morocco in the semi-finals of the 2025 CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after eliminating Ghana in the quarter-finals.
The Young Pharaohs showed a lot of resilience on Monday during the quarter-final showdown with the Black Satellites.
Egypt raced into a commanding lead within the first eight minutes, capitalising on defensive errors from the Ghanaian backline.
Momen Sherif struck twice, taking full advantage of a mix-up involving Ghana captain Ofori McCarthy and goalkeeper Gidious Aseako, putting the hosts firmly in control.
Ghana slowly found their rhythm, and just before the break, they pulled one back. Abdul Aziz Issah’s speculative long-range effort slipped through the Egyptian goalkeeper’s grasp, halving the deficit at a crucial moment.
The Black Satellites continued to push for a second goal, coming close through Denis Marfo, whose powerful header narrowly cleared the crossbar.
When it seemed Egypt might hold on, Ghana won a penalty deep into the second half after Joseph Opoku was fouled. Hakim Sulemana stepped up to convert, sending the match into extra time.
With no winner in extra time, the game was decided through the penalty shootout where Egypt secured a 5-4 win.
In the semi-finals, the host nation will now come up against North African rivals Morocco, who eliminated Sierra Leone in their quarter-final tie.
