U-20 AFCON: South Africa clinch historic first title with victory over Morocco. Kekana's spectacular second-half goal seals landmark triumph.

 From Torchlight news.

U-20 AFCON: South Africa Clinch Historic First Title with Victory Over Morocco
Kekana’s spectacular second-half goal seals landmark triumph.

South Africa captured their first-ever CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations title with a narrow 1-0 win over Morocco in Sunday’s final at Cairo’s June 30 Stadium.

The match’s decisive moment came in the 70th minute, when Gomolemo Kekana unleashed a brilliant right-footed shot from distance that curled into the top corner. The goal was confirmed after a VAR review and broke the deadlock in a tightly contested match marked by tactical discipline and solid defense from both sides.

The triumph was especially meaningful for South Africa, who had never before won the U-20 AFCON and had not reached the final since 1997, when they lost to Morocco. This time, they reversed that result to become the 12th nation to win the competition.

Both teams entered the final unbeaten, each showcasing strong defensive records throughout the tournament. Morocco looked more threatening in the first half, creating chances through Jones El Abdellaoui and Ilias Boumassaoudi, but South African goalkeeper Fletcher Lowe stood firm with a series of key saves.

South Africa, who had steadily improved after a tournament-opening loss to Egypt, stayed composed and grew into the game. While opportunities were limited in the first half, players like Shakeel April and Mfundo Vilakazi posed sporadic threats.

The second half saw Morocco pressing hard, with Othmane Maamma and Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal missing chances. Ultimately, their inefficiency in front of goal proved costly as South Africa capitalized on a rare chance.

Following Kekana’s goal, South Africa defended resolutely, with Tylon Smith and Sfiso Timba anchoring the backline to repel Morocco’s late surge. The win not only secured their first youth continental title but also ended a streak of five consecutive defeats to North African teams, all previously lost by a single goal.

Goalkeeper Fletcher Lowe, who finished the tournament with the most saves (24), was instrumental to South Africa’s success, highlighting the team’s defensive strength. Kekana’s goal was their ninth of the tournament — each one critical in their knockout victories over DR Congo, Nigeria, and Morocco.

For Morocco, the loss was a bitter end to a strong campaign. Unbeaten in their last 14 U-20 AFCON matches in regulation time, they were aiming for a second title but will have to wait longer after suffering their first defeat of the tournament.