CONSTANTINE- The participation of the Moroccan under-17 team in the African Cup of Nations planned in Algeria was still uncertain until the last few days, and a boycott was hovering over the heads of the organizers. But it is now done, Morocco will indeed be present in Algeria. The U-17 team will try to bring the trophy back to the Cherifian kingdom.
It took the personal intervention of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, that of CAF Patrice Motsepe, and above all the fair play spirit of the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Fouzi Lekjaa. While the air borders between the two countries are still closed, this involvement of the highest football authorities has made it possible to decipher the situation and to allow the team exclusively to travel to the place of the competition. This Friday, the Atlas U-17 Cubs arrived in the city of Constantine in a flight provided by FIFA. It should be noted that Morocco’s under-17 selection will play in Pool B, alongside Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia. Morocco will begin this competition on April 30 against South Africa in Constantine before facing Nigeria on May 3 in the same city, then Zambia on May 6 in Algiers.
The objective will be to get the trophy on Algerian soil. As a reminder, during the last CHAN in Algeria, Morocco could not take part in this tournament, following an understanding between the authorities at the highest summit of the two States.
Mohamed LAMINE TOURE
