U-17 AFCON: Egypt secure place at U-17 World Cup with Angola victory

Photo Credit: @CAF_Online/X

For the first time in eighteen years, Egypt will take part at the FIFA U-17 World Cup after Saturday's 2-1 qualifying playoff victory over Angola at the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.

Al Ahly forward Hamza Abdelkarim's excellent second half strike stood as the match winner for Egypt, who held off a late comeback attempt to qualify for their first U-17 World Cup since the 1997 edition.

The North African nation looked more capable from the beginning and took the lead through Abdel El Zoghby close to halftime. El Zoghby was quickest to react to a high ball that bounced in the Angolan penalty area where his shot took a favorable defelction on its way past Angola goalkeeper Gelson Dala.

Petro de Luanda defender Lourenço responded in the 83rd minute for Angola but it was too little too late for the Palanquinhas in the four-team playoff featuring the third place finishers from the group stage.

Egypt join Uganda, who qualified for their first-ever World Cup at any age level earlier in the day, at the finals of the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup which will be hosted by Qatar in November. The two winners from Saturday join the teams who reached the quarterfinals to finish out Africa's ten participants at the world youth football showcase.