In a historic triumph, South Africa claimed their first-ever U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, defeating Morocco 1-0 in the 2025 final — a repeat of the 1997 edition where they had fallen short against the same opponent.
The final was a tightly contested affair, defined by tactical discipline and defensive solidity from both sides. The breakthrough came in the 70th minute when Gomolemo Kekana unleashed a thunderous right-footed strike from outside the box, curling the ball into the top corner. The goal, confirmed after a VAR review, proved decisive.
Kekana’s wonder goal capped a remarkable tournament for South Africa, who were making their first appearance in a U-20 AFCON final since 1997. With this victory, they become the 12th nation to win the competition and only the third team from Southern Africa to lift the trophy, following Angola (2001) and Zambia (2017).
In the third-place playoff, Nigeria secured the bronze medal by defeating hosts Egypt 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
All four semifinalists — South Africa, Morocco, Nigeria, and Egypt — have qualified to represent Africa at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, scheduled to take place from September 27 to October 19.
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