TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (U-17 AFCON) defending champions Senegal had to dig deep against a tenacious Somalia side on Monday evening, grinding out a 2-1 win that not only sealed their spot in the quarter-finals but also confirmed their place at the FIFA U-17 World Cup later this year.
In a match full of tension and late drama, Ibrahima Sow opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 29th minute after the East Africans were penalised for a foul inside the box. But rather than crumble, Somalia—making their debut in the tournament—fought back with heart and hunger, refusing to back down against the champions.
Senegal were pushed all the way and needed a last-gasp strike from El Hadji Ibrahim Sow deep into stoppage time to finally put the contest to bed and secure passage to the knockout stage.
Somalia exit the tournament without a point, but their spirited performances will be remembered. Their debut campaign may not have yielded results, but it certainly showed promise.
Ibrahima Sow is your Man of the Match against Somalia after scoring a brace! 🇸🇳🌟 @Football2Gether | #SENSOM | #TotalEnergiesAFCONU17 pic.twitter.com/bQytd9fXH7
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) April 7, 2025Liyun Treble Fires Angola into U-17 World Cup Playoffs in 6-1 Rout
Angola put on an attacking clinic at the Stade Ben Ahmed El Abdi, thrashing Central African Republic 6-1 in their final Group D clash, with Densel Liyun netting a sensational hat-trick to keep their World Cup hopes alive via the playoff route.
Lucas got things started from the spot in the 13th minute before Liyun took over, scoring from a Jayden Puna assist in the 26th minute and adding two more in the second half — including one initially disallowed by VAR but later confirmed.
Jairo Muanha also bagged a brace, with Angola’s dominance rarely in doubt. Anan Otto pulled one back for CAR late on, but it was mere consolation.
While they miss out on a quarter-final spot, Angola’s third-place finish earns them a shot at the FIFA U-17 World Cup playoff, and their electric attacking display will give them confidence heading into that do-or-die fixture.
📹 HIGHLIGHTS: 🇦🇴 6-1 🇨🇫
Flawless attacking display from Angola as hit Central African Republic for SIX. 👏 #ANGCTA | #TotalEnergiesAFCONU17 pic.twitter.com/bmeLEJWgkl
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) April 7, 2025Cote d’Ivoire Stun Mali to Top Group D and Book U-17 AFCON Knockouts
Cote d’Ivoire delivered one of the standout performances of the tournament so far, defeating Mali 4-2 in an end-to-end thriller to leapfrog their West African rivals and claim top spot in Group D.
Alynho Haïdara was the early catalyst, scoring twice in the opening 18 minutes — once from open play and once from the penalty spot — before Moïse Diarrassouba added a third just before the interval.
Mali pulled one back through Seydou Dembélé in first-half stoppage time and had a golden chance to close the gap with a penalty in the second half, but Dembélé’s effort was saved.
Despite another goal from Ndjicoura Bomba, any hopes of a late Mali comeback were dashed when Broulaye Cissé thundered in a stoppage-time rocket to make it 4-2.
Both teams are through to the quarter-finals and have secured their spots at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, but Cote d’Ivoire’s statement win sends a clear message: they are here to compete.
Broulaye Cissé pressed R2 …. and the net obeyed! 🤯#TotalEnergiesAFCONU17 pic.twitter.com/UjdADcHl8R
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) April 7, 2025Tunisia Edge Gambia to Secure Knockout Spot and World Cup Qualification
In a tightly fought encounter, Tunisia edged past The Gambia 2-1 to clinch a place in the U-17 AFCON quarter-finals and seal a ticket to the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Yassine Ben Mahmoud struck just before halftime to give Tunisia a slim advantage, only for Bisenty Mendy to hit back immediately after the restart for The Gambia.
With both sides pushing for the crucial winner, it was Anisse Saidi who came up big in the 57th minute with a well-taken goal that Tunisia defended resolutely until the final whistle.
Tunisia march on, while The Gambia—despite defeat—still have a second chance at reaching the World Cup through the playoff route.
World stage secured. 🌍
Tunisia book their FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 tickets! 🇹🇳 #TotalEnergiesAFCONU17 pic.twitter.com/C69blvqmZz
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) April 7, 2025U-17 AFCON Knockout Line-Up Set, World Cup Dreams Still Alive
As the dust settles on the group stage, the final eight for the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 are locked in, and the race for continental glory—and a place on the world stage—heats up.
Quarter-Finalists:
- Morocco
- Zambia
- Burkina Faso
- South Africa
- Senegal
- Tunisia
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Mali
Playoff Contenders for Final World Cup Spots:
- Egypt
- The Gambia
- Angola
- Uganda
It’s now knockout time, and with World Cup tickets on the line, expect fireworks.
