The Egyptians emerged triumphant in the first semi-final of the CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations following a 1-0 win over their West African counterpart Guinea on Tuesday to reach the final.

 As a result, the African champions will defend their title against hosts Morocco on Saturday at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex.

Talented midfielder Mohamed Shehata Mahmoud’s fantastic first-half strike was what separated the two sides in the tension-filled encounter in the Moroccan city.

 Morocco’s U23 side was the second African nation to book a place in the Paris Olympics 2024 after a thrilling encounter against Mali.

 The hosts Morocco, on the other hand, emerged victorious in a penalty shootout, prevailing 4-3 after the teams had fought to a 2-2 draw in regular time.

Mali’s Mamady Diambou expressed deep dissatisfaction after the final whistle.

“We lacked efficiency. If you analyze all of our matches, you’ll notice this frustrating pattern of scoring an early goal,” the midfielder remarked.

Meanwhile, Mali and Guinea are to compete for a bronze medal in a match scheduled for Friday.

 The winner of the bronze medal match will also earn a spot in the Olympic Games, while the losing team will still have a chance to qualify through an intercontinental playoff.

Host Morocco face-off Egypt in Africa Cup of Nations U23 final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex on Saturday.#TotalEnergiesAFCONU23 #AfricanFootball #AfricanTwitter pic.twitter.com/Wfx3wHq5G7

— Alie Bittar (@bittar32) July 5, 2023

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