2017 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations

The 2017 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations, officially known as the Total U-17 Africa Cup Of Nations, Gabon 2017,[1] was the 12th edition of the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations (17th edition if tournaments without hosts are included), the biennial international youth football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for players aged 17 and below.

2017 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations
Coupe d'Afrique des nations des moins de 17 ans 2017
Tournament details
Host country Gabon
Dates14–28 May
Teams8 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)2 (in 2 host cities)
Final positions
Champions Mali (2nd title)
Runners-up Ghana
Third place Guinea
Fourth place Niger
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
Goals scored41 (2.56 per match)
Top scorer(s)Guinea Fandjé Touré
(6 goals)
2015
2019

The top four teams qualified for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in India.

Host selection

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The tournament was originally set to take place in Madagascar between 2–16 April 2017.[2] However, the CAF Executive Committee decided on 12 January 2017 to withdraw the hosting rights from Madagascar following the reports of the CAF inspection teams.[3]

On 3 February 2017, Gabon were selected as the new hosts,[4] and the tournament will now be played from 14 to 28 May 2017 (originally from 21 May to 4 June 2017).[5][6]

Qualification

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The qualifiers were played between June and October 2016. At the end of the qualification phase, seven teams joined the hosts Gabon.

Player eligibility

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Players born 1 January 2000 or later are eligible to participate in the competition.

Qualified teams

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Gabon replaced Madagascar due to their selection as the new hosts. Moreover, Tanzania replaced Congo due to a Congolese player failing to turn up for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging test.[5] Mali were cleared to compete after their suspension was lifted by FIFA on 28 April 2017.[7]

Note: All appearance statistics count only those since the introduction of final tournament in 1995.

Team Appearance Previous best appearance
  Angola 3rd Group stage (1997, 1999)
  Cameroon 6th Champions (2003)
  Gabon (hosts) 3rd Group stage (2007, 2013)
  Ghana 7th Champions (1995, 1999)
  Guinea 6th Third place (1995, 2015)
  Mali 8th Champions (2015)
  Niger 2nd Group stage (2015)
  Tanzania 1st Debut

Venues

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The two venues were confirmed in March 2017.[6]

Libreville Port-Gentil
Stade de l'Amitié Stade de Port-Gentil
Capacity: 40,000 Capacity: 20,000
0°31′27″N 9°23′52″E / 0.524167°N 9.397778°E / 0.524167; 9.397778 (Stade de l'Amitié) 0°43′00″S 8°47′00″E / 0.716667°S 8.783333°E / -0.716667; 8.783333 (Stade de Port Gentil)

Original venues of Madagascar before hosts were withdrawn.

Stadium City Capacity
Mahamasina Stadium Antananarivo 22,000
Vontovorona Sport Complex Vontovorona ?

Draw

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The draw for the tournament took place on 24 October 2016, 11:00 local time (UTC+2) at the CAF Headquarters in Cairo.[8][9][10]

The teams were seeded based on the results of the last edition (final tournament and qualifiers).[11]

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Squads

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Each squad can contain a maximum of 21 players.[12]

Match officials

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A total of 14 referees and 15 assistant referees were selected for the tournament.[13][14]

Referees
  •   Mohamed Maarouf Eid
  •   Souleiman Ahmed Djamal
  •   Ferdinand Udoh Aniete
  •   Mustapha Ghorbal
  •   Mihindou Mbina Gauthier
  •   Abou Coulibaly
  •   Hamada Nampiandraza
  •   Pacifique Ndabihawenimana
  •   Davies Ogenche Omweno
  •   Hassan Mohamed Hagi
  •   Maguette Ndiaye
  •   Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo
Reserve Referees
  •   Haithem Kossai
  •   Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea
Assistant Referees
  •   Mahmoud Abouelregal
  •   Aymen Ismail
  •   Seydou Tiama
  •   Moussounda Montel
  •   Souru Phatsoane
  •   Gilbert Lista
  •   Gbèmassiandan Kouton
  •   Arsénio Marengula
  •   Lahcen Azgaou
  •   Abdoul Aziz Moctar Saley
  •   Mamady Tere
  •   Frank John Komba
  •   Temesgin Samuel Atango
  •   Soulaimane Amaldine
Reserve Assistant Referee

Group stage

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The group winners and runners-up advance to the semi-finals and qualify for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Tiebreakers

The teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:[12]

  1. Number of points obtained in games between the teams concerned;
  2. Goal difference in games between the teams concerned;
  3. Goals scored in games between the teams concerned;
  4. If, after applying criteria 1 to 3 to several teams, two teams still have an equal ranking, criteria 1 to 3 are reapplied exclusively to the matches between the two teams in question to determine their final rankings. If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria 5 to 7 apply;
  5. Goal difference in all games;
  6. Goals scored in all games;
  7. Drawing of lots.

All times are local, WAT (UTC+1).

Group A

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Ghana 3 2 1 0 9 0 +9 7 Knockout stage and 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup
2   Guinea 3 1 2 0 6 2 +4 5
3   Cameroon 3 1 1 1 2 5 −3 4
4   Gabon (H) 3 0 0 3 1 11 −10 0
Source: CAF
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Gabon  1–5  Guinea
Moubeti   70' Report Touré   7', 38', 69'
Bah   30'
A. Camara   45+1'
Referee: Davies Ogenche Omweno (Kenya)
Cameroon  0–4  Ghana
Report Ayiah   25', 64'
Sulley   32', 34'
Referee: Mohamed Maarouf Eid (Egypt)

Guinea  1–1  Cameroon
Touré   22' Report Zobo   68'
Referee: Maguette Ndiaye (Senegal)
Ghana  5–0  Gabon
Ayiah   30', 57'
Toku   34', 67'
Arhin   76'
Report
Referee: Pacifique Ndabihawenimana (Burundi)

Gabon  0–1  Cameroon
Report Zobo   20'
Referee: Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria)
Guinea  0–0  Ghana
Report

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Mali 3 2 1 0 8 2 +6 7 Knockout stage and 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup
2   Niger 3 1 1 1 4 4 0 4
3   Tanzania 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 4
4   Angola 3 0 1 2 4 10 −6 1
Source: CAF
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Mali  0–0  Tanzania
Report
Referee: Ferdinand Udoh Aniete (Nigeria)
Angola  2–2  Niger
Melo   68'
Gelson   84' (pen.)
Report Sanda   29' (pen.), 42'
Referee: Mihindou Mbina Gauthier (Gabon)

Tanzania  2–1  Angola
Naftal   6'
Suleiman   70'
Report Tombé   18'
Niger  1–2  Mali
Habibou   35' Report Dramé   6'
M. Camara   44'

Mali  6–1  Angola
S. Camara   2'
Dramé   14', 72'
N'Diaye   39', 70'
Kané   81'
Report Melo   83'
Tanzania  0–1  Niger
Report Marou   42'
Referee: Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea (Ghana)

Knockout stage

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In the knockout stages, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time, kicks from the penalty mark are used to determine the winner (no extra time shall be played).[12]

Bracket

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Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
24 May – Port-Gentil
 
 
  Ghana (p)0 (6)
 
28 May – Libreville
 
  Niger0 (5)
 
  Ghana0
 
24 May – Libreville
 
  Mali1
 
  Mali (p)0 (2)
 
 
  Guinea0 (0)
 
Third place
 
 
28 May – Libreville
 
 
  Niger1
 
 
  Guinea3

Semi-finals

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Ghana  0–0  Niger
Report
Penalties
Owusu  
Acquah  
Iddriss  
Ayiah  
Osman  
Sulley  
Toku  
6–5   Habibou
  Ajina
  Massamba
  Magagi
  Namata
  Souley
  Mossi
Referee: Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria)

Mali  0–0  Guinea
Report
Penalties
Dramé  
M. Camara  
Konaté  
2–0   I. Soumah
  Conté
  F. Soumah
  Touré
Referee: Davies Ogenche Omweno (Kenya)

Third place match

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Niger  1–3  Guinea
Marou   66' Report Touré   55', 75'
Bah   73'
Referee: Mihindou Mbina Gauthier (Gabon)

Final

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Ghana  0–1  Mali
Report Samaké   22'

Goalscorers

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6 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal

Qualified teams for FIFA U-17 World Cup

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The following four teams from CAF qualified for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[17][18][19]

Team Qualified on Previous appearances in tournament1
  Mali 21 May 2017 4 (1997, 1999, 2001, 2015)
  Ghana 17 May 2017 8 (1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2007)
  Guinea 20 May 2017 4 (1985, 1989, 1995, 2015)
  Niger 21 May 2017 0 (Debut)
1 Bold indicates champion for that year. Italic indicates host for that year.

References

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  1. ^ "Total, Title Sponsor of the Africa Cup of Nations and Partner of African Football". CAF. 21 July 2016. Archived from the original on 29 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Fixtures of U-17 & U-20 AFCON qualifiers released". Confederation of African Football. 5 February 2016.
  3. ^ "Decisions of CAF Executive Committee". CAF. 13 January 2017.
  4. ^ "Gabon new host for U17 Championship". SuperSport. 3 February 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Gabon new host of 2017 AFCON U-17". CAF. 4 February 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Decisions of the CAF Executive Committee of 14 March 2017". CAFonline.com. 14 March 2017.
  7. ^ "FIFA lifts suspension of Mali Football Federation". CAF. 29 April 2017.
  8. ^ "Media accreditation for draw of u-17 & u-20 AFCON final tournaments". CAFonline.com. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  9. ^ "Draw Procedure: TOTAL U-17 AFCON & TOTAL U-20 AFCON". CAF. 23 October 2016.
  10. ^ "Results of draw: Total U-17 Africa Cup of Nations MADAGASCAR 2017". CAF. 24 October 2016.
  11. ^ "Procedures of the draw of the 12th Edition TOTAL U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, Madagascar 2017" (PDF). CAF.
  12. ^ a b c "Regulations of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations" (PDF). CAFonline.com. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  13. ^ "Match officials for Total U-17 AFCON Gabon 2017 announced". CAF. 20 April 2017.
  14. ^ "Selected Match Officials for the 12th Edition of the Total U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Gabon 2017" (PDF). CAF.
  15. ^ "Laryea among 29 refs for U17 Afcon". SuperSport. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  16. ^ http://refereesfifa.blogspot.fr/2017/05/2017-caf-u-17-championship-finale.html [user-generated source]
  17. ^ "Ghana ease their way to India". FIFA.com. 17 May 2017. Archived from the original on May 18, 2017.
  18. ^ "Guinea join Ghana on plane to India". FIFA.com. 20 May 2017. Archived from the original on May 24, 2017.
  19. ^ "Mali and Niger seal Africa's final tickets to India". FIFA.com. 21 May 2017. Archived from the original on May 21, 2017.
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