Morocco U-20 held by Tunisia as North African qualifiers intensify
Morocco’s under-20 national team drew with Tunisia on Sunday evening in Ismailia, leaving the North African qualifying tournament for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations U-20 wide open after the second round of matches.
The encounter was played at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium in Ismailia as part of the qualifying competition organized by the Union of North African Football Federations. The tournament brings together Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya and hosts Egypt, with two places available for the continental finals in Ghana in 2027.
Morocco begin campaign with a draw
The Moroccan side entered the competition after sitting out the opening round on September 24. Its first appearance therefore came in the second matchday, against Tunisia, on September 27.
The draw gives Morocco a point at the start of its campaign, but the schedule leaves little room for a long recovery period. The young Atlas Lions face a demanding sequence of matches over the next nine days, with three fixtures still to come.
Algeria, meanwhile, made a strong start to the second round by defeating Libya 3-1 earlier on Sunday. Egypt were not involved in the day's matches, having been given a rest day under the tournament's single-round league format.
Algeria next for Morocco
Morocco’s next assignment will come on September 30 against Algeria at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium in Ismailia.
The fixture will be followed by another important test against Egypt on October 3. That match will take place at the Suez Canal Stadium, also in the Ismailia area.
Morocco will then close its qualifying campaign against Libya on October 6 at Ismailia Stadium.
The condensed schedule means the Moroccan squad will have to manage four matches while adapting quickly to different opponents and maintaining consistency across the tournament.
Two qualification places at stake
The North African qualifiers are being played as a single-round championship, with each of the five participating teams scheduled to play four matches and receive one day off.
At the end of the competition, the two highest-ranked teams will secure qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations U-20 finals in Ghana.
With only two qualification places available, every point can prove important as the tournament progresses. Morocco's draw against Tunisia therefore keeps the qualification race open ahead of its three remaining fixtures.
A decisive stretch ahead
The Moroccan U-20 team now faces a crucial part of its campaign. The Algeria match on September 30 will be followed by the encounter with hosts Egypt before the final meeting with Libya.
The results of those three games will determine whether Morocco secures one of the two available tickets to the continental tournament.
For a generation of young Moroccan players seeking a place at the African finals, the Ismailia tournament represents both a qualification challenge and an opportunity to gain experience in high-pressure international competition.
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