The Africa U-17 Cup of Nations final

The Africa U-17 Cup of Nations final is set to take place tomorrow, Saturday, April 19, 2025, between the host nation, Morocco U-17, and Mali U-17. The match will be held at the Stade E Bachir in Mohammédia, with a revised kick-off time of 3:00 PM local time (10:00 AM Eastern Time was incorrect, it's actually 10:00 AM Pacific Time or 1:00 PM Eastern Time). More about the teams: Morocco U-17: This is Morocco's fourth appearance in the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations. Their previous appearances were in 2013 (where they finished fourth), 2019 (group stage exit), and 2023 (runners-up, their best showing). They are hosting the tournament for the second time, the first being in 2013. Only Gambia in 2005 has won the tournament as the host nation, so Morocco will be aiming to repeat this feat. In this tournament, Morocco topped their group and then defeated South Africa 3-1 in the quarterfinals. They reached the final after a 0-0 draw with Ivory Coast in the semi-final, winning 4-3 on penalties. Their coach is Nabil Baha, a former Moroccan international. Key players in their squad include Ziyad Baha, a forward who has scored four goals in the tournament, and Ismail El Aoud, a midfielder. Mali U-17: Mali has a strong history in the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, having won the title twice before, in 2015 and 2017. They are aiming to win their third title in this age group. In their path to the final in this tournament, Mali secured their spot by defeating Burkina Faso 2-0 in the semi-finals. Mali also finished third in the 2023 edition of the tournament. Mali has a notable record in the FIFA U-17 World Cup, finishing as runners-up in 2015 and third in 2023. Venue Information: The final will be played at the Stade E Bachir in Mohammédia, Morocco. The stadium was built in 1954 and renovated in 2019. It has a capacity of 10,000 spectators and a grass surface. The stadium is named after Abdessalam Bachir, a former player for the local club SCC Mohammédia who died in an accident. Stade E Bachir is the home ground of SCC Mohammédia. Additional Context: The winner of this final will be crowned the champion of the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations for 2025. Both Morocco and Mali have already qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Morocco qualified as the host nation, and Mali secured their spot through their performance in this tournament. The third-place match will be played at the Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca at 8:00 PM local time on the same day between Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. This final promises to be an exciting encounter between two strong teams with different strengths and histories in the competition. Morocco will be hoping to use their home advantage to secure their first title, while Mali will be aiming to add another trophy to their impressive record. Tune in tomorrow to find out!