Unaf U20: Lionceaux dominate Algeria and revive their tournament hopes

After a draw against Tunisia in their opening match, the U20 Lionceaux de l’Atlas reacted perfectly. The Moroccan team won against Algeria (3-1) on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia, Egypt, during the second day of the UNAF tournament qualifying for the final phase of the U20 Africa Cup of Nations.

The players of Ludovic Batelli displayed a more convincing performance than in their first outing. More solid in duels, better organized, and more effective in ball use, the young Moroccans gradually took control of the match against an Algerian team that resisted for a long time.

A decisive second half

After a balanced first half, the Lionceaux de l’Atlas accelerated upon returning from the locker room. Their dominance was quickly rewarded in the 53rd minute with the opening goal scored by Sami Bouhoudane.

Morocco did not give their opponent time to react as Mohamed Mounssef doubled the lead three minutes later, in the 56th minute, allowing Ludovic Batelli’s men to take a significant advantage in this match.

The Lionceaux continued to push and secured their victory in the 64th minute thanks to Ilyass Hidaoui, who scored the third Moroccan goal. Algeria reduced the gap towards the end of the match, but this did not prevent the Moroccan team from achieving a valuable win.

The eleven lined up by Ludovic Batelli

For this match, Ludovic Batelli trusted Chouaib Bellaarouch in goal. In front of him, the defense was composed of Abderrahmane Arkid, Ilyass Hidaoui, Hamza Bouhaddi, and Ilyas El Arbaoui.

In midfield, Hicham Mellali, Adam Baglal, and Mohamed Mounssef were lined up, while Hamza Raji, Ilyes Belmokhtar, and Sami Bouhoudane occupied the offensive positions.

With this victory against Algeria, the U20 Morocco team now has four points after two matches, following their draw against Tunisia in their first match. The Lionceaux de l’Atlas continue their goal of qualifying for the U20 AFCON and will need to confirm in the upcoming matches of the UNAF tournament.