2021 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

2021 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations qualification
Tournament details
Host countriesAlgeria (North Zone)
Senegal (West A Zone)
Togo (West B Zone)
Rwanda (Central-East Zone)
South Africa (South Zone)
Dates22 November 2020 – 13 February 2021
Teams33 (from 1 confederation)
Tournament statistics
Matches played42
Goals scored141 (3.36 per match)
Top scorer(s)Senegal Ibou Sané
Uganda Oscar Mawa (6 goals each)
← 2019
2023 →

The 2021 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations qualification was a men's under-17 football competition which decided the teams that would have participated in the 2021 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations.

Players born 1 January 2004 or later were eligible to participate in the competition. A total of twelve teams qualified and would have played in the final tournament, including Morocco who qualified automatically as hosts.[1]

Teams

This will be the first edition in Africa U-17 Cup of Nations to have expanded to 12 teams instead of eight. Each of the six zones received two spots in the final tournament.[2]

Zone Spots Teams entering qualification Did not enter
North Zone
(UNAF) 		1 spot
+ hosts
West A Zone
(WAFU-UFOA A) 		2 spots
West B Zone
(WAFU-UFOA B) 		2 spots
Central Zone
(UNIFFAC) 		2 spots
Central-East Zone
(CECAFA) 		2 spots
South Zone
(COSAFA) 		2 spots
Notes
  • Teams in bold qualified for the final tournament.
  • (H): Qualifying tournament hosts
  • (Q): Automatically qualified for final tournament regardless of qualification results
  • (D): Disqualified

Schedule

The qualifying competition is split into regional competitions, with the teams entering the qualifying tournament of their zone. [7] The final arrangements of the zonal qualifiers were decided later due to the delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] The schedule of each qualifying zone is as follows.

Zone Group stage Knockout stage
South Zone 22–26 November 2020 29 November 2020
Originally set to be played between 22 July–1 August 2020 in Malawi
Central-East Zone 13–18 December 2020 20–22 December 2020
Originally set to be played at the beginning of July
West B Zone 8–12 January 2021 15–18 January 2021
Originally set to be played between 15–30 June 2020 in Benin
North Zone 18–24 January 2021 —
Originally set to be played between 15–24 July 2020
Central Zone 14–19 July 2020 (postponed, originally in Cameroon) 21–23 July 2020 (postponed, originally in Cameroon)
West A Zone 8–15 August 2020 (postponed, originally in Sierra Leone) 19–22 August 2020 (postponed, originally in Sierra Leone)

North Zone

Main article: 2021 UNAF U-17 Tournament

The UNAF U-17 Tournament, which also served as the qualifiers for the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations was initially planned to be hosted by Algeria between 15–24 July 2020. However, it could not be held in the scheduled time span because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was later scheduled and held between 18–24 January 2021.[9] The matches were played at Algiers (Stade du 5 Juillet).

The draw for the fixtures was held on 30 December 2020.[10] The three teams were placed in one group, with the winners qualifying for the final tournament. Morocco didn't participate in the qualifiers as they had already qualified as the hosts of the final tournament.

All times are local, CET (UTC+1).

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Algeria (H) 2 1 1 0 4 3 +1 4 2021 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations
2  Tunisia 2 1 1 0 3 2 +1 4
3  Libya 2 0 0 2 3 5 −2 0
Source: UNAF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(H) Hosts
Algeria 3–2 Libya
 Report
Attendance: 0
Referee: Ibrahim Nour El-Din (Egypt)
Libya 1–2 Tunisia
 Report
Attendance: 0
Referee: Mustapha Kechaf (Morocco)
Tunisia 1–1 Algeria
 Report
Attendance: 0
Referee: Amin Mohamed Omar (Egypt)

West A Zone

The 2021 WAFU Zone A Tournament which serves as the qualifiers for the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations was initially planned to be hosted from 11–20 December 2020 in Sierra Leone, but was postponed.[11] The tournament was later shifted and held in Senegal between 5–13 February 2021.[12]

Group stage

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Senegal (H) 1 1 0 0 4 0 +4 3 Semi-finals
2  Mauritania 1 0 0 1 0 4 −4 0
3  Gambia (D) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Disqualified[a]
Source: CAF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(D) Disqualified; (H) Hosts
Notes:
  1. ^ Gambia were disqualified from the qualifiers after some players failed to pass the MRI test. They were considered to have withdrawn from the competition, and all previous matches played by them shall be considered "null and void" and would not be considered in determining the final group rankings.[3]


Senegal Voided
(4–2)		 Gambia
 Report
Referee: Moses Forkpah (Liberia)
Gambia Voided
(2–0)		 Mauritania
 Report
Referee: Swahib Bangura (Sierra Leone)
Mauritania 0–4 Senegal
Report
Referee: Sory Ibrahima Keita (Mali)

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Mali 1 1 0 0 5 0 +5 3 Semi-finals
2  Guinea-Bissau 1 0 0 1 0 5 −5 0
3  Sierra Leone (D) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Disqualified[a]
Source: CAF
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(D) Disqualified
Notes:
  1. ^ Sierra Leone were disqualified from the qualifiers after some players failed to pass the MRI test. They were considered to have withdrawn from the competition, and all previous matches played by them shall be considered "null and void" and would not be considered in determining the final group rankings.[3]


Sierra Leone Voided
(0–1)		 Guinea-Bissau
Report
Referee: Moussa Diou (Mauritania)
Mali Voided
(5–0)		 Sierra Leone
 Report
Referee: Fatou Ngum (Gambia)
Guinea-Bissau 0–5 Mali
Report
Referee: Abdoulaye Manet (Guinea)

Knockout stage

In the knockout stages, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time, a penalty shoot-out without extra time was used to determine the winners.

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
11 February– Stade Lat-Dior
 
 
 Senegal4
 
13 February – Stade Lat-Dior
 
 Guinea-Bissau0
 
 Senegal2
 
11 February –Stade Lat-Dior
 
 Mali0
 
 Mali5
 
 
 Mauritania1
 

Semifinals

Mali 5–1 Mauritania
 Report
Referee: Moses Forkpah (Liberia)
Senegal 4–0 Guinea-Bissau
 Report
Referee: Abdoulaye Lambert Manet (Guinea)

Final

Senegal 2–0 Mali
 Report
Referee: Moussa Diou (Mauritania)

West B Zone

The 2021 WAFU Zone B Tournament which serves as a qualifier tournament for the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations was initially planned to be hosted by Benin from 15–30 June 2020, but was later shifted and held in Togo between 5–18 January 2021. The matches were played at Lomé (Stade de Kégué and Stade Municipal).[13][14]

All times are local, GMT (UTC±0).

Group stage

The seven teams were drawn into two groups of three and four teams. The winners and the runners-up of each group advanced to the semi-finals.

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Burkina Faso 2 1 1 0 5 1 +4 4 Semi-finals
2  Niger 2 1 1 0 3 0 +3 4
3  Benin 2 0 0 2 1 8 −7 0
4  Togo (H, D) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Disqualified[a]
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: Group tiebreakers
(D) Disqualified; (H) Hosts
Notes:
  1. ^ Togo were disqualified from the qualifiers after two of their players failed to pass the MRI test. They were considered to have withdrawn from the competition, and all previous matches played by them shall be considered "null and void" and would not be considered in determining the final group rankings.[4]
Togo Voided
(2–1)		 Niger
 Report
Referee: Quadri Adebimpe (Nigeria)
Benin 1–5 Burkina Faso
 Report
Referee: Patrick Tanguy Vlei (Ivory Coast)
Benin Voided
(1–3)		 Togo
 Report
Referee: Charles Bulu (Ghana)
Niger 0–0 Burkina Faso
Report
Referee: Patrick Tanguy Vlei (Ivory Coast)
Burkina Faso Cancelled Togo
Niger 3–0 Benin
 Report
Referee: Charles Bulu (Ghana)

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Ivory Coast 2 2 0 0 4 1 +3 6 Semi-finals
2  Nigeria 2 0 1 1 1 2 −1 1
3  Ghana 2 0 1 1 2 4 −2 1
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: Group tiebreakers
Nigeria 0–1 Ivory Coast
Report
Referee: Issa Mouhamed (Benin)
Ghana 1–1 Nigeria
 Report
Referee: Komlavi Aklassou (Togo)
Ivory Coast 3–1 Ghana
 Report
Referee: Vincentia Amedome (Togo)

Knockout stage

In the knockout stages, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time, a penalty shoot-out without extra time was used to determine the winners.

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
15 January – Stade de Kégué
 
 
 Burkina Faso0
 
18 January – Stade de Kégué
 
 Nigeria1
 
 Nigeria2
 
15 January – Stade de Kégué
 
 Ivory Coast3
 
 Ivory Coast1
 
 
 Niger0
 
Third place
 
 
18 January – Stade de Kégué
 
 
 Burkina Faso1(10)
 
 
 Niger1 (9)

Semifinals

Burkina Faso 0–1 Nigeria
Report
Referee: Patrick Tanguy Vlei (Ivory Coast)
Ivory Coast 1–0 Niger
 Report
Referee: Charles Bulu (Ghana)

Third Place match

Final

Nigeria 2–3 Ivory Coast
 Report
Referee: Charles Bulu (Ghana)

Central Zone

The 2021 UNIFFAC U17 Tournament which would have served as a qualifier tournament for the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations was initially planned to be held in Cameroon on 2020, and then in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea in February 2021.

In February 2021, this tournament was finally cancelled by CAF due to the absence of a host country and the absence of an MRI machine in most of the countries of this zone. For the 2021 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations, CAF decided to qualify Cameroon and Congo, the two finalists of the last edition of the zonal qualifiers of UNIFFAC in 2018.[15]

Central-East Zone

Main article: 2020 CECAFA U-17 Championship

The CECAFA qualifiers for the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations were initially planned to be hosted at the beginning of July 2020 but were then later shifted to 13–22 December 2020. Nine teams were drawn into three groups of three teams during the draw made in October.[16] However, two teams, namely Eritrea and Sudan withdrew before the start of the tournament and the seven remaining teams were then redrawn into new groups.[17] The matches were played at Gisenyi (Umuganda Stadium).[18]

All times are local, CAT (UTC+2).

Group stage

The seven teams were drawn into two groups of three and four teams. The winners and the runners-up of each group advanced to the semi-finals.

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Uganda 2 2 0 0 8 0 +8 6 Semi-finals
2  Ethiopia 2 0 1 1 2 5 −3 1
3  Kenya 2 0 1 1 2 7 −5 1
4  South Sudan (D) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Disqualified[a]
Source: CECAFA
Rules for classification: Group tiebreakers
(D) Disqualified
Notes:
  1. ^ South Sudan were disqualified from the qualifiers after four of their players failed to pass the MRI test.[5]
Kenya 2–2 Ethiopia
 Report
Referee: Djaffari Nduwimana (Burundi)
Uganda 5–0 Kenya
 Report
Referee: Mohamed Diraneh (Djibouti)
Uganda 3–0 Ethiopia
 Report
Referee: Emmanuel Mwandembwa (Tanzania)

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Tanzania 2 1 1 0 4 2 +2 4 Semi-finals
2  Djibouti 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 2
3  Rwanda (H) 2 0 1 1 1 3 −2 1
Source: CECAFA
Rules for classification: Group tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Rwanda 1–3 Tanzania
 Report
Referee: Sabri Fadul (Sudan)
Rwanda 0–0 Djibouti
Report
Referee: Tewodros Mitiku (Ethiopia)
Djibouti 1–1 Tanzania
 Report
Referee: Shamirah Nabadda (Uganda)

Knockout stage

In the knockout stages, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time, a penalty shoot-out without extra time was used to determine the winners.

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
20 December – Umuganda Stadium
 
 
 Uganda1
 
22 December – Umuganda Stadium
 
 Djibouti0
 
 Uganda3
 
20 December – Umuganda Stadium
 
 Tanzania1
 
 Tanzania1 (4)
 
 
 Ethiopia1 (3)
 
Third place
 
 
22 December – Umuganda Stadium
 
 
 Djibouti2
 
 
 Ethiopia5

Semifinals

Uganda 1–0 Djibouti
 Report
Referee: Omar Artan (Somalia)
Tanzania 1–1 Ethiopia
 Report
Penalties
 4–3
Referee: Samuel Uwikunda (Rwanda)

Third Place match

Djibouti 2–5 Ethiopia
 Report
Referee: Djaffari Nduwimana (Burundi)

Final

Uganda 3–1 Tanzania
 Report
Referee: Omar Artan (Somalia)

South Zone

Main article: 2020 COSAFA Under-17 Championship

The COSAFA U-17 Championship was initially planned to be hosted by Malawi between 22 July–1 August 2020 with the matches planned to be played at Blantyre, as the region's qualifying tournament.[19] Malawi, however, were not able to host the tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[20] The hosting rights were later awarded to South Africa with the matches being played at Nelson Mandela Bay (Gelvandale Stadium and Westbourne Oval Stadium).[21]

All times are local, SAST (UTC+2).[22]

Group stage

Eight teams were drawn into two groups during the draw. South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe, and Eswatini were drawn into Group A and Zambia, Botswana, Malawi and Comoros were drawn into Group B.[23] However, on 20 November after the first set of matches were already played on 19 November, 4 teams namely – Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini and Zimbabwe were disqualified from the tournament for having at least one of their players fail the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test.[24] The tournament was later restarted on 22 November 2020 as a four-team tournament and was played on a round-robin basis. The matches which had been played were then later regarded as warm-up games with no bearing to the new tournament format.[6]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Zambia 3 3 0 0 9 3 +6 9 2021 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations
2  South Africa (H) 3 1 1 1 4 4 0 4
3  Angola 3 1 0 2 9 5 +4 3
4  Malawi 3 0 1 2 5 15 −10 1
Source: COSAFA
Rules for classification: Group tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Angola 1–2 Zambia
 Report
Referee: Tshepo Gobagoba (Botswana)
South Africa 2–2 Malawi
 Report
Referee: Thanks Nyahuye (Zimbabwe)
South Africa 2–1 Angola
 Report
Referee: Lawrence Zimondi (Zimbabwe)
Zambia 6–2 Malawi
 Report
Referee: Artur Alfinar (Mozambique)
Malawi 1–7 Angola
 Report
Westbourne Oval Stadium, Nelson Mandela Bay
Referee: Luxolo Badi (South Africa)
Zambia 1–0 South Africa
 Report
Referee: Thulani Sibandze (Eswatini)

Third place match

Angola 2–1 Malawi
 Report

Final

Zambia 1–1 South Africa
 Report
Penalties
 2–4
Referee: Artur Alfinar (Mozambique)

Qualified teams

The following 12 teams qualify for the final tournament.

Team Zone Qualified on Previous appearances in Africa U-17 Cup of Nations1
only final tournament era (since 1995)
 Morocco (hosts) North Zone 28 September 2018[1] 2 (2013, 2019)
 Algeria North Zone 24 January 2021 1 (2009)
 Senegal West A Zone 11 February 2021 2 (2011, 2019)
 Mali West A Zone 11 February 2021 8 (1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2011, 2015, 2017)
 Nigeria West B Zone 15 January 2021 9 (1995, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2019)
 Ivory Coast West B Zone 15 January 2021 5 (1997, 2005, 2011, 2013, 2015)
 Cameroon Central Zone 20 February 2021 7 (1999, 2001, 2003, 2009, 2015, 2017, 2019)
 Congo Central Zone 20 February 2021 2 (2011, 2013)
 Uganda Central-East Zone 20 December 2020 1 (2019)
 Tanzania Central-East Zone 20 December 2020 2 (2017, 2019)
 Zambia South Zone 24 November 2020 1 (2015)
 South Africa South Zone 26 November 2020 3 (2005, 2007, 2015)
1 Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.

Goalscorers

There were 141 goals scored in 42 matches, for an average of 3.36 goals per match.

6 goals

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

Notes

  1. ^ a b Gambia & Sierra Leone were disqualified from the qualifiers after some of their players failed to pass the MRI test.[3]
  2. ^ Togo were disqualified from the qualifiers after two of their players failed to pass the MRI test.[4]
  3. ^ South Sudan were disqualified from the qualifiers after four of their players failed to pass the MRI test.[5]
  4. ^ a b c d Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini and Zimbabwe initially entered in the qualifiers, but were later disqualified after at least 1 of their players failed the MRI test. The tournament was then later restarted with the remaining 4 teams and the games previously played were regarded as warm-ups.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b "Decisions of CAF Executive Commitee [sic] - 27 & 28 September 2018". CAF. 29 September 2018.
  2. ^ "CAF Holds Executive Committee Meeting ahead of CAN Total U-23 Final". CAFOnline.com. CAF-Confedération Africaine du Football. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  3. ^ a b c "Tournoi UFOA U17 : La Sierra Leone et la Gambie disqualifiées". 13football. 9 February 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b "WAFU-B U-17 tournament: Togo disqualified". CAF. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b Sang, Kiplagat (13 December 2020). "Banned South Sudan did not know players were over age". Goal.com. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Four teams disqualified from COSAFA zonal qualifier". 20 November 2020.
  7. ^ "CAF Newsletter" (PDF). CAF. 5 April 2020. p. 3.
  8. ^ "Decisions of CAF Executive Meeting – 30 June 2020". CAF. 30 June 2020.
  9. ^ "CAN-2021 (U17) : L'Algérie organisera le tournoi qualificatif l'été prochain" (in French). footalgerien.com. 24 November 2019.
  10. ^ "UNAF U17 : le tirage au sort effectué" (in French). CAF. 31 December 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  11. ^ "WAFU 'A' U-17 qualifiers postponed". cafonline.com. 14 December 2020.
  12. ^ "WAFU 'A' U-17 qualifiers". fr.cafonline.com (in French). 3 February 2021.
  13. ^ Eludini, Tunde (3 January 2021). "Golden Eaglets depart Lagos for Togo". Premium Times. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  14. ^ Lantheaume, Romain (5 January 2021). "Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria… Coup d'envoi des qualifications en Zone UFOA B". Afrik-Foot. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  15. ^ "Cameroon and Congo qualify without playing". 20 February 2021. Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  16. ^ "CECAFA U-20 and U-17 AFCON qualifiers draw done". CAF. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  17. ^ Furaha, Jacques (8 December 2020). "Seven Teams To Compete After Burundi, Sudan And Eritrea Withdrawals". KT Press. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  18. ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (7 December 2020). "Rwanda drawn in Group B with Tanzania, Djibouti". The New Times. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  19. ^ "Malawi to host 2020 COSAFA U-17 championship". Malawi24. 25 January 2020.
  20. ^ Chilapondwa, Andrew (7 August 2020). "Mauritius to host COSAFA Under-17 Championship". Malawi24.
  21. ^ "Draw looms for COSAFA Men's Under-17 and Under-20 zonal qualifiers". 28 October 2020.
  22. ^ "2020 COSAFA UNDER-17 CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES". COSAFA.
  23. ^ "Tasty draws for COSAFA Men's Under-17 and Under-20 Championships". COSAFA. 2 November 2020.
  24. ^ "South Africa start with win, Zimbabwe and Angola draw". 19 November 2020.