U-17 AFCON : Morocco clash is more than a match— Ivory Coast coach Diabaté

The Ivory Coast U-17 national team will take on Morocco in the semi-final of the African U-17 Nations Cup, hoping to win the title for the second time. Ivory Coast U-17 head coach Bassiriki Diabaté stated that his charges are ready for the mission to reach the final.

Diabaté’s team is full of confidence after knocking out reigning U-17 AFCON champions Senegal in a penalty shootout. Nonetheless, the head coach acknowledged that Morocco are a strong team. “Morocco has shown character and a lot of maturity in what they have put forward. Everything they proposed had a clear objective—the project was well-defined, they knew where they wanted to go, and they gave themselves the means to get there.”

Diabaté added that this semi-final encounter is more than just a football match. “Today, we find ourselves on Morocco’s path, but for us, beyond the competition, I can tell you we are experiencing this moment as a friendly match, a match between brothers. Whatever happens, it’s a celebration to present to everyone our deepest wish: that at the final whistle of this match, we’ll see both teams come together in unity.”

Ivory Coast qualified for their first U-17 AFCON in a decade by participating at the 2025 edition. They will be hoping to reach their first final since 2013.