U17 World Cup: Mali Shines as Morocco and Senegal Prepare for Thursday Matches
The FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar has kicked off with an expanded lineup of 48 nations. Among them, African teams have made a notable impact from the start.
Mali's Strong Debut
Mali impressed by defeating New Zealand 3-0 in Group L. Goals were scored by Seydou Dembele, Zoumana Ballo, and Raymond Bomba, showcasing Mali's promising talent.
Other African Performances on Opening Day
- Egypt claimed a 4-1 win over Haiti in Group E, highlighted by a two-goal performance from Belal Attia.
- Zambia earned a 3-1 victory against Indonesia in Group H.
- Ivory Coast faced a tough loss, going down 4-1 to Switzerland in Group F.
Upcoming Matches for African Teams
On Thursday, Morocco, Tunisia, South Africa, and Senegal will compete as they aim to impress in their opening games or recover from earlier setbacks.
Significance of the Tournament
The 2025 U-17 World Cup features 48 teams, including 10 from Africa, highlighting the continent's growing strength in youth football.
"This expanded tournament demonstrates the vitality of African youth football on the world stage."
Author's summary: African teams have started the U-17 World Cup strongly, with Mali's victory setting the tone and several others poised to make their mark in the expanded 48-team tournament.