U17 AFCON: Egypt and Ethiopia share spoils after stalemate in Group A opener

Egypt U17 and Ethiopia U17 were forced to settle for a point each after a tightly contested 0-0 draw in their opening Group A match at the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026.

Both sides had their moments in an evenly balanced encounter but were ultimately unable to find the decisive touch in front of goal.

Egypt controlled possession for long spells and attempted to break down the Ethiopian defence through creative sparks from Mohamed Attia and Ahmed Safwat, but they struggled to convert their dominance into clear scoring chances.

Ethiopia, meanwhile, remained compact and disciplined, relying on quick transitions led by forward Dawit Kassaw Yirdaw to trouble the Egyptian backline whenever opportunities arose.

Despite their attacking intent, neither side could find a breakthrough, as both defences held firm in a match defined by organisation and caution.

The draw leaves Group A finely poised ahead of the evening fixture between hosts and defending champions Morocco and Tunisia, which is expected to shape the early standings in the group.