Algeria’s national team defeated their Moroccan counterparts 1-0 on Tuesday, 10 November, in the opening match of the U17 North Africa Union Championship, held in the Tunisian city of Sousse and qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Ilyes Zian scored the only goal of the match in the 40th minute.
Both teams entered the match seeking a strong start to the qualifying campaign, as the current format gives each team three matches to determine the qualifiers. The Algerian coach Karim Zian’s young charges successfully exploited the first real opportunity, when Zian ran in behind the Moroccan defence and rounded the goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation.
After the goal, Morocco tried to get back into the game, but the Algerian defensive block held firm until the final whistle. With this result, Algeria earn three valuable points in their first test of the tournament, while Morocco begin their campaign with no points.
Maghreb derby brings back memories of February clash
This was not the first meeting between the two teams at this level; they faced each other last February at the same stadium in a friendly tournament for the North Africa region, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Today’s victory represents a tangible improvement in Algeria’s result compared to that recent encounter.
This Algerian victory puts early pressure on Morocco, who now need positive results in their upcoming matches to avoid an early exit from contention for a qualifying spot. Meanwhile, the win gives Algeria a morale boost ahead of a tough fixture.
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- One goal decided the match, scored by Ilyes Zian in the 40th minute.
- Three full points for Algeria after the first round.
- A 1-1 draw was the result of the last meeting between the two teams last February.
Algeria continue their campaign against Tunisia on 13 November at 17:00, before concluding their matches against Egypt on 16 November at 14:00. Morocco, meanwhile, will look to correct their course in the coming rounds.
You can follow the rest of the U17 North Africa Championship matches through special coverage on the InfoSport website.
