With lower than a number of hours earlier than the daybreak of one other 12 months, CAFOnline evaluations what has been one other distinctive and memorable 12 months for African soccer.
Senegal on the summit of Africa
An expression that resonated 3 times this 12 months. 4 February 2023, Senegal lifts the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship, for the primary time in its historical past. The workforce led by Pape Thiaw received on penalties in opposition to Algeria, host nation of the competitors.
A collective success by which a number of people stood out, together with the red-hot Lamine Camara who was voted finest younger participant within the competitors together with Pape Mamadou Sy topped finest goalkeeper.
A couple of weeks later, it was the flip of their U-20 workforce coached by Malick Daf to shine, as they edged Gambia 2-0 on the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations closing in Egypt to be topped U-20 champions for the primary time. Not solely did they carry the title, however they impressively did additionally so with out conceding a purpose.
Motivated by the performances of their elders, the U-17s then adopted swimsuit and edged Morocco 2-1 within the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations closing in Algeria. A event by which Amara Diouf was topped prime scorer of the competitors with 5 objectives.
CAN U-23: Morocco, Egypt and Mali certified for the Olympic Video games
For the primary time of their historical past, Morocco had been topped champions of the TotalEnergies CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations. They did so in entrance of their followers once they performed host to the event and defeated Egypt 2-1 after additional time.
The outcome meant each Morocco and Egypt acquire automated qualification and would then be joined by Mali who completed third on the competitors.
TotalEnergies CAF Champions League: Al Ahly get eleventh star
Egyptian giants, Al Ahly secured their eleventh TotalEnergies CAF Champions League in model after profitable the primary leg 2-1 to journey to Casablanca the place they got here from behind to grab a 1-1 draw which noticed them topped African champions on combination.
The ultimate was certainly one of most talked about African membership competitors matches throughout the globe and set the tone for what guarantees to be one other thrilling version of the competitors within the present season.
TotalEnergies CAF Tremendous Cup: USM Alger, the champion of champions
TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup winners, USM Alger got here head to head with Champions League champions, Al Ahly on the King Fahd stadium within the Saudi metropolis of Taif in a match that attracted thousands and thousands of viewers globally.
An evenly contested encounter was separated by Zineddine Belaid within the forty third minute which noticed the Algerians do the unthinkable by beating Al Ahly in a cup closing.
FIFA Girls’s World Cup: Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Morocco shine
Suffice to say that the 4 African groups entered within the Girls’s World Cup have left their mark on this event.
Africa shone brilliant on the FIFA Girls’s World Cup as for the primary time within the historical past of the competitors, three African nations made it via to the Spherical of 16.
a number of the stand out performances, Zambia star participant, Barbra Banda made historical past by scoring the a thousandth purpose of the competitors when enjoying in opposition to Costa Rica.
Zambia’s African counterparts on the event, Nigeria, South Africa in addition to debutants, Morocco all did nicely to fly the African flag excessive of their spectacular performances within the group phases that noticed all of them advance to the knockout phases – a primary within the historical past of the FIFA Girls’s World Cup.
Sundowns topped African Soccer League champions
The African Soccer League has been the brand new attraction on the Pan-African soccer calendar. On the beginning line, the eight most prestigious groups in African soccer and on the finish a winner: Mamelodi Sundowns. The South Africans received at house within the second leg 2-1 in opposition to Wydad.
A primary within the historical past of African Soccer, the African Soccer League lifted off in model this 12 months with eight robust African golf equipment battling it out for the inaugural title.
After a fierce contest throughout the collaborating golf equipment, it was a north versus south battle at Mamelodi Sundowns edged Wydad AC in an thrilling two-legged closing that noticed the South Africans topped champions.
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Mamelodi Sundowns regain CAF Girls’s Champions League title
In 2022, they left their throne to AS Far. For the second time in historical past, Mamelodi Sundowns received the CAF Girls’s Champions League by beating Sporting Membership de Casablanca 3-0.
U17 World Cup: Mali sweeps Argentina and finishes third within the competitors
After surrendering the title to AS Far in 2022, Mamelodi Sundowns regained their continental crown in model after being topped CAF Girls’s Champions League winners with out conceding a single purpose.
The ultimate noticed them comfortably cruise previous SC Casablanca 3-0 to formally reclaim their title.
U17 World Cup: Mali sweeps Argentina and finishes third within the competitors
The subsequent era of African soccer expertise shone brilliant on the world stage through the FIFA U17 Phrase Cup.
After narrowly shedding out to France within the semi-finals, Mali crushed Argentina 3-0 to win the bronze medal on the international showpiece due to objectives by Mamadou Doumbia, Ibrahim Diarra and Hamidou Makalou.
