Morocco joined Ghana and Nigeria as the only three African teams to have ever reached the final of the tournament.
By Kehinde Okeowo
The Atlas Cubs of Morocco are set to face Argentina in the final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup after a dramatic penalty shootout win over France.
The intriguing semi-final encounter between the two French speaking sides ended 1–1 after extra time.
However, Morocco’s third-choice keeper, Abdelhakim El Mesbahi, came on late and made the decisive save in the shootout, sending Morocco through 5–4.
With the win, the team made history as the first North African side to reach the U-20 FIFA World Cup final.
They join Ghana and Nigeria as the only three African teams to have ever reached the final of the tournament.
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Earlier, Argentina secured their place in the final with a 1-0 win over a 10-man Colombian side.
The Albicelestes’ victory at the Estadio Nacional de Santiago came thanks to Mateo Silvetti’s 74th-minute goal.
Gianluca Prestianni created space on the right and delivered an assist that Silvetti slammed home from the center of the box.
Colombia pushed for an equalizer but could not break down the Argentine defense.
The final showdown between Morocco and Argentina is scheduled for Monday at 12 a.m. Nigeria time.
