Egypt’s U-17 National Team sealed their place at the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with a commanding 7-1 win over Libya to claim the UNAF U-17 Championship title.
The tournament, held in Casablanca, Morocco, also served as a qualifier for the continental competition, marking Egypt’s first appearance since 2011.
Egypt dominated the final match, with Hamza Abdelkarem opening the scoring in the 3rd minute. Mohamed Hamd added another in the 27th minute before netting again in the 47th minute. Abdelkarem scored his second in the 53rd minute, extending the lead to 4-0.
Belal Ateya capitalized on a goalkeeping error to make it 5-0 in the 63rd minute. Libya’s Mondher El-Qamati pulled one back in the 73rd minute, but Ateya completed his hat-trick with goals in the 84th minute and stoppage time, capping off a stellar performance.
The tournament featured five teams in a single group format, with the top two advancing to the 2025 U-17 AFCON in Ivory Coast. Egypt topped the group with nine points, ahead of Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya.
Head coach Ahmed El-Kass praised his team’s resilience after a 5-1 loss to Morocco earlier in the tournament. “We never gave up,” he emphasized, as Egypt rallied to win their final three matches.
Egypt, last crowned U-17 AFCON champions in 1997, now aims to shine in the 2025 edition, which also serves as a qualifier for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar. The team’s performance signals a strong comeback on the continental stage.
