By Boris Esono Nwenfor
BUEA, PAV – Côte d’Ivoire made a powerful statement with a 2-0 victory over Cameroon in another Group B showdown in the ongoing U17 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON.
The Young Elephants gradually grew into the contest after a balanced opening half and eventually broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute through Ange Nomane, whose composed finish rewarded sustained Ivorian pressure.
Cameroon attempted to fight back through attacking threats such as Rony Baliag Nougi and Omar Amir Tsombeng, but the Ivorians remained compact at the back and dangerous going forward.
Hubert Yao eventually sealed the victory late in the match with a calm finish that capped an impressive performance from the WAFU B champions. The result gives Côte d’Ivoire an early advantage in what is shaping up to be one of the tournament’s toughest groups, which also includes Uganda and DR Congo.
Meantime, hosts Morocco were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against fierce North African rivals Tunisia in a tense and entertaining Group A clash at the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 on Wednesday evening.
Playing before a passionate home crowd at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium, the defending champions dominated possession for large spells but struggled to break down a disciplined Tunisian side that remained organised throughout the encounter.
Tunisia stunned the hosts in the 27th minute when Yahya Jlidi calmly slotted home to silence the Moroccan supporters and hand the Carthage Eaglets an unexpected lead heading into halftime.
The hosts returned from the break with renewed determination, pushing aggressively in search of an equaliser as Tunisia relied on compact defending and quick counterattacks to protect their advantage.
Morocco’s persistence finally paid off in the 76th minute when Ilian Hadidi found space inside the box and finished clinically to bring the hosts level, sparking celebrations inside the packed stadium.
Despite mounting late pressure from the home side, Tunisia held firm to secure a valuable point in what proved to be one of the tournament’s most competitive fixtures so far.
The result leaves Group A wide open following the earlier goalless draw between Egypt and Ethiopia. Egypt enjoyed the better share of possession in that encounter but were repeatedly frustrated by Ethiopia’s disciplined defensive setup and swift transitions through forward Dawit Kassaw Yirdaw.
Egyptian attackers Mohamed Attia and Ahmed Safwat showed flashes of creativity, but clear-cut chances remained limited in a tightly contested affair that ended without goals.
Meanwhile, in Group B, Uganda announced themselves as serious contenders with an emphatic 3-0 victory over tournament debutants Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The East Africans delivered a composed and clinical display to move level on points with Côte d’Ivoire at the top of the standings.
Uganda took control of the match in the 37th minute when influential midfielder Owen Mukisa opened the scoring after sustained attacking pressure. DR Congo struggled to recover before halftime, and Uganda doubled their advantage deep into stoppage time through Nicholas Kawooya, who calmly finished to give the Cubs a commanding lead at the break.
Although the Congolese attempted to respond in the second half, Uganda remained organised defensively and dangerous on the counterattack. Any hopes of a comeback were ended in the 82nd minute when Abdulshakur Babi added a third goal to seal a memorable victory for coach Laryea Kingston’s side. The win places Uganda in a strong position in the race for qualification to the knockout stage and ultimately the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
