In the aftermath of the CAF African Schools Football Championship held in Cairo, Libya and Morocco emerged as the representatives for the UNAF zone in the boys’ and girls’ divisions, respectively.
While Morocco secured their spot a day prior to the tournament’s conclusion, Libya had to persevere until the last minute to claim the honor of representing the zone.
In the boys’ category, Libya faced a crucial match needing only a draw to qualify. The Egyptians appeared to have sealed their place, but in a dramatic turn of events, Zubair Mohammed’s last-minute goal secured a late victory for Libya, clinching the title.
In the girls’ division, Egypt secured the second position behind Morocco after a resounding 9-0 victory over Libya.
The Zonal Qualifiers, under the guidance of CAF and UNAF, not only showcased intense football competition but also featured capacity-building programs.
These programs included the Young Referees Programme, the Young Coaches Programme, the Medical Officers Programme, and CAF Safeguarding workshops.
All these initiatives ran concurrently with the three-day competition, emphasizing the holistic development and education of young talents in football.
The tournament highlighted not only the prowess of the winning teams but also the collaborative efforts of CAF and UNAF in fostering the growth of football at the grassroots level.
The commitment to nurturing young talents was further evidenced through various educational programs designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of referees, coaches, and medical personnel involved in the competition.
CAF African Schools Football Championship Awards:
Girls category:
Winner of the title: Morocco
Runner-up: Egypt
Third place: Libya
Top scorer: Meriem Oblaw | Morocco (8 goals)
Best Goalkeeper: Farah El Amrani (Morocco)
Boys category:
Winner of the title: Libya
Runner-up: Egypt
Third place: Morocco
Top scorer: Zubair Mohamed and Salem Fathi (Libya), Zakaria Bouras and Osama Baqul (Morocco), Ahmed Abdel Rahman and Mahmoud Mostafa (Egypt). Each player scored a goal.
Best Goalkeeper: Abdel Moneim Naggar (Egypt)
