Morocco’s under-16 national team concluded their North African Union tournament campaign with a 3-2 defeat to Tunisia on Sunday, a result that saw the young Atlas Cubs finish third overall while their North African rivals went on to lift the title.
Tunisia asserted themselves early in the contest and took the lead in the 23rd minute through Mohamed Ben Hussein.
The pressure continued, and Mohamed Iyad Ferchichi doubled the advantage before the break to give Tunisia a comfortable cushion heading into halftime. Any hopes of a Moroccan response were further dented moments after the restart when Ben Hussein struck again to make it 3-0.
Faced with a daunting deficit, Morocco showed character in the second half and began to grow into the game.
Said Boudi reduced the margin in the 64th minute, injecting belief into the side, before Salah Eddine Taghoui added a second goal nine minutes later to set up a tense finish.
Morocco pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages, but Tunisia remained composed and managed the game effectively to see out the victory. The match underlined Tunisia’s clinical edge and ability to control key moments, qualities that ultimately carried them to the tournament title.
For Morocco, the third-place finish highlighted both promise and areas for improvement.
While the team demonstrated resilience and attacking intent, lapses in concentration and defensive organisation proved costly. The tournament nonetheless offered valuable experience for the young players as they continue their development at the youth level.
