Amajita secured their first-ever TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations championship with a narrow 1-0 victory against Morocco in a tightly contested final at Cairo’s June 30 Stadium.

The match’s defining moment arrived in the 70th minute when Gomolemo Kekana curled a spectacular long-range strike into the top corner, a goal that survived VAR scrutiny to break the deadlock in an otherwise cagey encounter.

This historic strike not only delivered the trophy but also ended South Africa’s 27-year wait since their last final appearance in 1997, a tournament where they ironically fell to the same opponents.

For Morocco, the defeat extended their 26-year drought since their lone title in 1997. Despite entering the final unbeaten in 14 straight U-20 AFCON matches, their wastefulness in front of goal proved costly as South Africa’s disciplined defense held firm to create history.

This triumph completes Amajita’s remarkable turnaround after losing their opening match to Egypt. The victory marked several milestones for South Africa: First U-20 AFCON title in their history. First-ever win against North African opposition in the tournament (after five previous defeats) and 12th different nation to lift the trophy, continuing the trend of new winners after Senegal’s 2023 breakthrough.

– Edited report from CAF website

Photo: CAF_Media/X