MATCH FACTS: Cameroon, Egypt clash Group B at TotalEnergies CAF U17 Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025

Both Cameroon and Egypt face a must-win clash as they head into their final Group B game at the TotalEnergies CAF U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025 to be played at the El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia on Sunday (kick-off 18h00 local time / GMT).

Cameroon are in third place with a single point from their first two games, and must beat Egypt and hope South Africa lose to Burkina Faso to advance to the quarter-finals. Egypt cannot make the knockout rounds, but a win would put them into a play-off place for the 2025 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar.

The teams’ only previous meeting was in the semi-finals in 2003, a game Cameroon won. Cameroon went on to win the title, defeating Sierra Leone in the final.

Should Cameroon go through to the next round they will have progressed for a fourth time along with 1999, 2003, and 2019. They have also been eliminated at the group stages in 2001, 2009, 2015, 2017 and 2023.

CAMEROON FACTS
·      Cameroon began with a 2-1 loss against Burkina Faso and drew 0-0 with South Africa in their second game.

·      For a sixth time at the finals, along with 1999, 2009, 2015, 2017 and 2023, Cameroon have failed to win either of their first two games. 

·      Cameroon are presently on a five game winless streak in group games at the finals (D2 L3). Their last group stage win was a 2-1 success in their second group game against Morocco in 2019.

·      Cameroon are also winless in open play in their last seven games (D4 L3), all four draws have been 0-0 stalemates. Their last win in open play at the finals was that group stage victory against Morocco in 2019.

·      Cameroon managed nine shots on target against South Africa in their last match but were unable to score. They did not face a shot on target.

·      In their draw against South Africa, Noel Doumbogo had 89 touches, the most of any player in the game.

EGYPT FACTS
·      Egypt been eliminated at the group stages for a second finals along with 2011. They were champions in 1997 and finished fourth in 2003.

·      Egypt began with a 4-3 loss against South Africa and then lost 2-1 to Burkina Faso.

·      They have never previously lost all three of their group games at the finals. Should Egypt fail to win they will exit the finals winless for the first time.

·      Egypt are now on a run of having lost their last four games at the finals, losing their last two group games in 2011 and their opening two games at the current finals.

·      Egypt’s record in their final group game at the finals reads P3 W1 D1 L1.

·      In their final group game at previous finals appearances, Egypt defeated Cote d’Ivoire 2-0 in 1997, drew against Sierra Leone in 2003 and lost 4-0 against Burkina Faso in 2011.

·      Egypt U17 coach Ahmed El Kass was a player with the senior Egypt national team that faced Cameroon at the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations in their second group game. Cameroon won the game 2-1.

Despite their loss to Burkina Faso, the Egyptians managed to have 62% of the possession and also completed 285 passes, while their opponents could only complete 140 passed