2021 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations

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2021 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations
كأس أمم إفريقيا تحت 20 سنة 2021
Coupe d'Afrique des Nations des U-20 2021
2021 Afcon U20 - logo.png
Tournament details
Host countryMauritania
Dates14 February – 6 March[1]
Teams12 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)3 (in 2 host cities)
Final positions
Champions Ghana (4th title)
Runners-up Uganda
Third place Gambia
Fourth place Tunisia
Tournament statistics
Matches played26
Goals scored52 (2 per match)
Top scorer(s)Uganda
(5 goals)
Best player(s)Ghana Abdul Fatawu
Fair play award Uganda
← 2019
2023 →

The 2021 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations was the 16th edition of the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations (23rd edition if tournaments without hosts are included), the biennial international youth football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for players aged 20 and below. In September 2018, it was decided that the tournament would be hosted by Mauritania.[2][3][4][5] This will be the first edition in Africa U-20 Cup of Nations to have expanded to 12 teams instead of eight.[6] The top four teams of the tournament would have normally qualified for the 2021 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia as the CAF representatives. However, FIFA decided to cancel the tournament on 24 December 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic.[7]

The defending champions Mali failed to qualify. Ghana won their 4th title by defeating debutant Uganda in the Final

Qualification[]

Main article: 2021 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations qualification

At the end of the qualification phase, eleven teams will join the hosts Mauritania.

Player eligibility[]

Players born 1 January 2001 or later are eligible to participate in the competition.

Qualified teams[]

The following twelve teams qualified for the final tournament.

Note: All appearance statistics count only those since the introduction of final tournament in 1991.

Team Zone Appearance Previous best performance
 Mauritania (hosts) West A Zone 1st Debut
 Morocco North Zone 5th Champions (1997)
 Tunisia North Zone 1st Debut
 Gambia West A Zone 3rd Third place (2007)
 Ghana West B Zone 12th Champions (1993, 1999, 2009)
 Burkina Faso West B Zone 4th Fourth place (2003)
 Uganda Central-East Zone 1st Debut
 Tanzania Central-East Zone 1st Debut
 Central African Republic Central Zone 1st Debut
 Cameroon Central Zone 10th Champions (1995)
 Namibia South Zone 1st Debut
 Mozambique South Zone 1st Debut

Venues[]

Nouakchott
Stade Olympique Stade Cheikha Ould Boïdiya
Capacity: 20,000 Capacity: 8,200
Nouakchott stadium.jpg ملعب شيخا بيديا 3.jpg
Nouadhibou
Stade Municipal de Nouadhibou
Capacity: 10,300
No image available.svg

Squads[]

Further information: 2021 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations squads

Draw[]

The draw of the final tournament was held on 25 January 2021, 11:00 WAT (UTC+1), at the Hilton Hotel in Cameroon.[8] The twelve teams were drawn into three groups of four teams. The hosts Mauritania were seeded in Group A and allocated to position A1, with Ghana and Burkina Faso, the only teams among the 12 who participated in the last edition of the CAN Total U20 drawn into B1 & C1 positions. All the other teams were in the same level and were distributed over the three groups.

Hosts Pot 1 Pot 2

Match officials[]

A total of 16 referees and 18 assistant referees were appointed for the tournament.[9]

Group stage[]

The top two teams of each group advance to the quarter finals along with the two best 3rd placed teams.

Tiebreakers

Teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria are applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings (Regulations Article 71):[citation needed]

  1. Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  2. Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  3. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  4. If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
  5. Goal difference in all group matches;
  6. Goals scored in all group matches;
  7. Drawing of lots.

All times are in WAT (UTC+1).[10]

Group A[]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Cameroon 3 3 0 0 6 1 +5 9
2  Uganda 3 2 0 1 4 2 +2 6
3  Mauritania (H) 3 1 0 2 3 3 0 3
4  Mozambique 3 0 0 3 1 8 −7 0
Source:[citation needed]
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Host
Mauritania 0–1 Cameroon
Report Goal 81'
Referee: Mutaz Ibrahim Al-Shalmani (Libya)
Uganda 2–0 Mozambique
Goal 57' (pen.)
Sserwadda Goal 86'		 Report
Referee: Mohamed Ali Moussa (Niger)
Cameroon 1–0 Uganda
Goal 32' Report
Referee: Souleiman Ahmed Djama (Djibouti)
Mauritania 2–0 Mozambique
Goal 19'
Goal 45'		 Report
Referee: Mahamat Alhadji Allaou (Chad)
Mozambique 1–4 Cameroon
Goal 85' Report Goal 8', 45'
Goal 47'
Goal 87'
Referee: (Ms.) Akhona Zennith Makalima (South Africa)
Mauritania 1–2 Uganda
Goal 37' (pen.) Report Sserwadda Goal 60'
Goal 87' (pen.)
Referee: Ibrahim Kalilou Traoré (Ivory Coast)

Group B[]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Burkina Faso 3 2 1 0 4 1 +3 7
2  Central African Republic 3 1 1 1 4 5 −1 4[a]
3  Tunisia 3 1 1 1 3 2 +1 4[a]
4  Namibia 3 0 1 2 1 4 −3 1
Source:[citation needed]
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Ranked on head-to-head points: Central African Republic 3pts, Tunisia 0pts.
Burkina Faso 0–0 Tunisia
Report
Referee: Samuel Uwikunda (Rwanda)
Namibia 1–1 Central African Republic
Goal 81' Report Yangao Goal 53'
Referee: Blaise Yuven Ngwa (Cameroon)
Tunisia 2–0 Namibia
Lamti Goal 28'
Goal 48'		 Report
Referee: Adalbert Diouf (Senegal)
Burkina Faso 3–1 Central African Republic
Goal 45+2'
Goal 55'
Goal 63'		 Report Goal 32'
Referee: Celso Alvacao (Mozambique)
Burkina Faso 1–0 Namibia
Botue Goal 90' Report
Referee: Mohamed Ali Moussa (Niger)
Tunisia 1–2 Central African Republic
Labidi Goal 24' (pen.) Report Gombe-Fei Goal 5'
Goal 6'
Referee: Messie Jessie Nkounkou Mvoutou (Congo)

Group C[]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Morocco 3 2 1 0 4 0 +4 7
2  Gambia 3 1 1 1 3 3 0 4[a]
3  Ghana 3 1 1 1 5 2 +3 4[a]
4  Tanzania 3 0 1 2 1 8 −7 1
Source:[citation needed]
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Ranked on head-to-head points: Gambia 3pts, Ghana 0pts.
Ghana 4–0 Tanzania
Boah Goal 3', 71'
Issahaku Goal 30'
Goal 89'		 Report
Referee: Mehrez Melki (Tunisia)
Gambia 0–1 Morocco
Report Moubarik Goal 23' (pen.)
Referee: Mahmood Ali Mahmood Ismail (Sudan)
Tanzania 1–1 Gambia
Dismas Goal 88' Report Goal 40'
Morocco 0–0 Ghana
Report
Referee: Abdelaziz Bouh (Mauritania)
Ghana 1–2 Gambia
Issahaku Goal 9' Report Goal 16'
Goal 33'
Referee: Jean Ouattara (Burkina Faso)
Tanzania 0–3 Morocco
Report Moubarik Goal 4' (pen.)
Goal 10'
Goal 13'
Referee: Samuel Uwikunda (Rwanda)

Ranking of third-placed teams[]

Pos Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 C  Ghana 3 1 1 1 5 2 +3 4
2 B  Tunisia 3 1 1 1 3 2 +1 4
3 A  Mauritania 3 1 0 2 3 3 0 3
Source:[citation needed]


Knockout Stage[]

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
25 February 2021 – Stade Olympique
 
 
 Cameroon1 (2)
 
1 March 2021 – Stade Olympique
 
 Ghana1 (4)
 
 Ghana1
 
26 February 2021 – Stade Olympique
 
 Gambia0
 
 Central African Republic0
 
6 March 2021 – Cheikha Ould Boïdiya
 
 Gambia3
 
 Ghana2
 
25 February 2021 – Cheikha Ould Boïdiya
 
 Uganda0
 
 Burkina Faso0 (3)
 
1 March 2021 – Stade Olympique
 
 Uganda0 (5)
 
 Uganda4
 
26 February 2021 – Stade Municipal
 
 Tunisia1 Third place
 
 Morocco0 (1)
 
5 March 2021 – Stade Olympique
 
 Tunisia0 (4)
 
 Gambia0(4)
 
 
 Tunisia0(2)
 


Quarter finals[]

Cameroon 1–1 (a.e.t.) Ghana
Goal 103' Report Goal 105+2'
Penalties
  • Penalty scored
  • Penalty scored
  • Penalty missed
  • Penalty missed
2–4
Referee: Mahamat Alhadji Allaou (Chad)


Burkina Faso 0–0 (a.e.t.) Uganda
Report
Penalties
  • Penalty missed
  • Penalty scored
  • Penalty scored
  • Penalty scored
3–5
  • Penalty scored
  • Penalty scored
  • Penalty scored
  • Penalty scored
  • Penalty scored
Referee: Blaise Yuven Ngwa (Cameroon)


Morocco 0–0 (a.e.t.) Tunisia
Report
Penalties
  • Penalty scored
  • Penalty missed Moubarik
  • Penalty missed
1–4
Referee: Mutaz Ibrahim Al-Shalmani (Libya)


Central African Republic 0–3 Gambia
Report Goal 5'
Goal 49'
Goal 90+2'
Referee: Abdelaziz Bouh (Mauritania)

Semi finals[]

Ghana 1–0 Gambia
Boah Goal 34' Report
Referee: Souleiman Ahmed Djama (Djibouti)
Uganda 4–1 Tunisia
Goal 4'
Goal 37', 50', 73'		 Report Ben Lamin Goal 39'
Referee: Pierre Atcho (Gabon)

Third place[]

Gambia 0-0 (a.e.t.) Tunisia
Report
Penalties
  • Penalty scored
  • Penalty missed
  • Penalty scored
  • Penalty scored
  • Penalty scored
4–2
Referee: Celso Alvacao (Mozambique)

Final[]

Ghana 2-0 Uganda
Afriyie Goal 22', 51' Report
Referee: Abdelaziz Bouh (Mauritania)

Winners[]

 2021 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations 

Ghana
Fourth title

CAF Team of the Tournament[]

Source:[11]

Coach: Uganda

Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards
Ghana Ibrahim Danlad Central African Republic Flory Jean Michael Yangao
Cameroon
The Gambia
Uganda Aziz Kayondo 		Morocco El Mehdi Moubarik
The Gambia
Tunisia Chiheb Labidi 		Ghana Abdul Fatawu
Uganda
Burkina Faso

Individual awards[]

The following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament.[11]

Player of the Tournament
Top scorer
  • Uganda (5 goals)
Golden Glove
  • Ghana Ibrahim Danlad

Goalscorers[]

There have been 52 goals scored in 26 matches, for an average of 2 goals per match (as of 1 March 2021).

5 goals

  • Uganda

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

Final standings[]

Per statistical convention in football, matches decided in extra time are counted as wins and losses, while matches decided by a penalty shoot-out are counted as draws.

Pos. Team Pld W D L Pts GF GA GD
1  Ghana 6 3 2 1 11 9 3 +6
2  Uganda 6 3 1 2 10 8 5 +3
3  Gambia 6 2 2 2 8 6 4 +2
4  Tunisia 6 1 3 2 6 4 6 −2
Eliminated in the quarter-finals
5  Cameroon 4 3 0 1 9 7 2 +5
6  Morocco 4 2 2 0 8 4 0 +4
7  Burkina Faso 4 2 2 0 8 4 1 +3
8  Central African Republic 4 1 1 2 4 4 8 −4
Eliminated in group stage
9  Mauritania 3 1 0 2 3 3 3 0
10  Namibia 3 0 1 2 1 1 4 −3
11  Mozambique 3 0 1 2 1 1 8 −7
12  Tanzania 3 0 1 2 1 1 8 −7

References[]

  1. ^ "2020 – 2021 IC Season (Final)" (PDF). Confederation of African Football.
  2. ^ "Can U20 2019: Mauritania officially responsible for organizing the competition". Uneath. 18 February 2019.
  3. ^ "CAN 2019 : un dernier sursis pour le Cameroun ?" (in French). CamFoot. 29 September 2018.
  4. ^ "Mauritania hosts the 2021 Afcon U20". FFRIM official website. 17 February 2019.
  5. ^ "Decisions of CAF Executive Commitee [sic] – 27 & 28 September 2018". CAF. 29 September 2018.
  6. ^ "CAF Holds Executive Committee Meeting ahead of CAN Total U-23 Final". CAFOnline.com. CAF-Confedération Africaine du Football. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  7. ^ https://www.fifa.com/news/update-on-fifa-women-s-world-cuptm-and-men-s-youth-competitions
  8. ^ "Accreditation for official draw of Total U-20 AFCON Mauritania 2021". CAF. 25 January 2021.
  9. ^ "LIST OF SELECTED REFEREES U20 MAURITANIA 2021" (PDF). CAF.
  10. ^ @CAF_Online (31 January 2019). "Here is the fixtures of #TotalAFCONU20" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b "Ghana's Fatawu named Total U20 AFCON player of the tournament". Confédération Africaine de Football. 7 March 2021.
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