Morocco’s U-20 team defeated the United States 1-3 on Sunday to qualify for the semifinals of the World Youth Championship in Chile, where it awaits the winner of the series between France and Norway.
Fouad Zahouani opened the scoring in the 31st minute, Cole Campbell equalized with a penalty in the sixth minute added to the first half and in the second half the game was decided by Joshua Wynder’s own goal (67th minute) and Gessime Yassine’s goal (87th minute).
Morocco advances to semifinals
MOROCCO SERIOUS CANDIDATE TO BE CHAMPIONS 🌍🇲🇦⚽
The Moroccan U20 national team beat the United States to secure their place in the semifinals of the youth World Cup, confirming their great momentum in the tournament. 🙌
📌Becomes the third guest to the penultimate stage of the tournament pic.twitter.com/lsY6CVGVaH
– Claro Sports (@ClaroSports) October 12, 2025
The Moroccan team thus equaled its best result in this tournament, fourth place in 2005.
The Stars and Stripes started with high pressure and Morocco with a conservative approach.
When the Africans were at their worst, the goal came that changed history. A cross to the far post from Saad El Haddad to Beaudry from Maamma’s shot, leaving the ball dead for Maamma himself to put it back into the six-yard box, where Fouad Zahouani (Union Touarga) arrived to shoot from close range, it was the 31st minute.
It looked like the game was 0-1 at halftime, but in the last play of the first half, after Corcoran’s cross into the box went wide, Peruvian referee Kevin Ortega awarded Ali Maamar a penalty for a challenge on Norris.
Cole Campbell did not miss from eleven meters and left the game as it started.
The second half unfolded in a similar fashion to the first, with the U.S. taking possession and Morocco, crouching low, playing for mistakes by their opponents.
In the 67th minute, Morocco turned on the U.S. goal and Yassir Zabiri shot on goal, but the ball was deflected by defender Joshua Wynder, who eventually put the ball in the back of the net.
The Atlas Lions sealed the match in the 87th minute.
Ilias Boumassaoudi took advantage of a misunderstanding between Habroune and goalkeeper Adam Beaudry and laid the ball off to Gessime Yassine to nestle it in the back of the net.
Technical data
Buzzy
1. United States: Adam Beaudry; Nolan Norris (79th minute, Reed Baker-Whiting), Joshua Wynder, Ethan Kohler, Francis Westfield; Brooklyn Raines, Benjamin Cremaschi, Niko Tsakiris (75th minute, Taha Habroune), Matthew Corcoran (75th minute, Marcos Zambrano); Cole Campbell (79th minute, Peyton Miller) and Zavier Gozo (66th minute, Luke Brennan).
Morocco: Yanis Benchaouch; Ali Maamar, Ismael Baouf, Fouad Zahouani, Smail Bakhty; Naim Byar, Saad El Haddad (78th minute, Ilias Boumassaoudi), Yassine Khalifi, Othmane Maamma (89th minute, Mohamed Hamony); Gessime Yassine (89th minute, Taha Majni) and Yassir Zabiri (78th minute, Younes Elbahraoui).
Goals: 0-1, minute 31: Fouad Zahouani. 1-1, 45+6 minutes: Cole Campbell, penalty kick. 1-2, 67th minute: Joshua Wynder, own goal. 1-3, 87th minute: Gessime Yassine.
Referee: Peruvian Kevin Ortega cautioned Morocco’s Ali Maamar, Saad El Haddad, Smail Bakhty and Joshua Wynder.
Incidents: U-20 World Cup quarterfinal match played at the El Teniente stadium in Rancagua.
Filed under: Morocco advances to semifinals with victory in USA
With information from EFE
