UNAF U-17 AFCON Q: Algeria thrashes Libya, Morocco triumphs in opening round

The North Africa (UNAF) U-17 AFCON qualifiers kicked off with a 2-0 victory for Morocco U-17 national team over Tunisia U-17 national team at the Benina Martyrs Stadium in Libya.

A brace sealed the win, with Mohamed El Habib Zennabi scoring in the 20th minute and Ramy Lakmani adding another deep into stoppage time in the 90+3 minute.

On the same opening day, the Algeria U-17 national team delivered a dominant performance, crushing hosts Libya U-17 national team with a heavy 5-1 defeat.

The five goals were shared among Mohamed Falmi, who scored twice in the 29th and 71st minutes, Ilian Rafsi in the 31st minute, Yacine Abed in the 57th minute, and Yacine Mohamed Maghni in the 66th minute, while Anas Al Orfi pulled one back for Libya in the 54th minute.

The Libyan city of Benghazi officially launched the regional tournament on Tuesday, hosting five national teams: Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco.

Tournament Format

The competition is being played in a single round-robin format, where each team faces all other participants once. The team with the highest number of points at the end of the five matchdays will be crowned champions.

This tournament also serves as a qualification pathway for the upcoming 2026 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations, adding further importance to every match. The participating teams are not only competing for the regional title but also aiming to secure their spots on the continental stage.

Upcoming Fixtures

The tournament continues until April 5, with a packed schedule across multiple rounds:

• Second Round (March 27):
  Tunisia national under-17 football team vs Egypt national under-17 football team (Benina Stadium)
  Algeria national under-17 football team vs Morocco national under-17 football team (Military Union Stadium)
• Third Round (March 30):
  Libya national under-17 football team vs Tunisia national under-17 football team (Benina Stadium)
  Egypt national under-17 football team vs Morocco national under-17 football team (Military Union Stadium)
• Fourth Round (April 2):
  Libya national under-17 football team vs Egypt national under-17 football team (Benina Stadium)
  Tunisia national under-17 football team vs Algeria national under-17 football team (Military Union Stadium)
• Fifth Round (April 5):
  Algeria national under-17 football team vs Egypt national under-17 football team (Benina Stadium)
  Libya national under-17 football team vs Morocco national under-17 football team (Military Union Stadium)

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