South Africa made history on Sunday night at the June 30 Stadium in Cairo, winning their first CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations title with a 1-0 victory over Morocco.
The match was tight and intense, but it was decided by a moment of brilliance from Gomolemo Kekana in the 70th minute. He fired a rocket from outside the box that curled into the top corner — a goal worthy of any final. After a quick VAR check, it stood, and the celebrations began.
It was a full-circle moment. The last time South Africa reached the U-20 final was in 1997 against Morocco and they lost. This time, they flipped the script.
Goalkeeper Fletcher Smythe-Lowe was key throughout the tournament, ending with the most saves (24), while defenders Tylon Smith and Sfiso Timba led a solid backline that kept Morocco at bay.
After losing their first match to hosts Egypt, South Africa bounced back with wins over DR Congo, Nigeria and now Morocco, proving that grit and belief can go a long way.
Nigeria took third place after beating Egypt on penalties (4-1).
