The Moroccan U-20 national team made history by reaching the final of the U-20 World Cup after defeating France on penalties (6-5) in a thrilling semi-final match.
The Atlas Lions entered the game with high confidence and managed to impose their rhythm from the early minutes, with Yasser Zbiri converting a penalty in the 32nd minute to give Morocco the lead.
France attempted to respond quickly, but the Moroccan goalkeeper was impressive, denying several attempts and maintaining his team’s advantage until the end of the first half.
In the second half, the French intensified their pressure, and Lucas Michel equalized in the 59th minute. The score remained unchanged despite attempts from both sides, leading to extra time.
During the second period of extra time, French player Zwingola received a red card in the 106th minute for bringing down Saad Al-Haddad as he was on his way to goal, but the score did not change.
In the penalty shootout, the Moroccan goalkeeper shone once again, tipping the scales in favor of the Atlas Lions with a final score of (6-5).
