South Africa are the new champions of the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a narrow but historic 1-0 win over Morocco in the final played on Sunday night at the June 30 Stadium in Cairo, Egypt.
The victory marks South Africa’s first U-20 continental title, with Gomolemo Kekana scoring the only goal of the match — a stunning second-half strike that made all the difference.
In the 70th minute, Kekana fired a powerful shot from outside the box that curled into the top corner. The goal was confirmed after a VAR check and proved to be the decisive moment in an intense, closely contested game.
South Africa had never beaten a North African team in this tournament before, losing five previous encounters by a single goal. But on this night, they rewrote history and avenged their 1997 final loss to Morocco — the only other time they reached this stage.
Both teams came into the final unbeaten, with Morocco looking the sharper side in the first half. However, South Africa’s goalkeeper Fletcher Lowe was in top form, making key saves to deny Morocco’s attackers.
As the match progressed, South Africa grew stronger. Their solid defence, led by Tylon Smith and Sfiso Timba, stood firm against Morocco’s late attacks. After the goal, they remained calm and organised, soaking up pressure until the final whistle.
This win also places South Africa among a growing group of recent first-time winners at youth level, following Senegal’s U-20 triumph in 2023.
Kekana’s goal was South Africa’s ninth of the tournament — not many, but each one counted. Their journey to the title saw them defeat DR Congo, Nigeria, and now Morocco in the knockout stages.
For Morocco, the defeat ends their 14-match unbeaten run in the U-20 AFCON. Despite strong performances, they must now wait longer for a second title.
South Africa’s maiden trophy shows the promise of their next generation — and signals a shift in the balance of youth football on the continent.
