2015 African U-17 Championship

2015 African U-17 Championship
Coupe d'Afrique des nations des moins de 17 ans 2015
Tournament details
Host country	Niger
Dates	15 February – 1 March
Teams	8 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)	2 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions	Mali (1st title)
Runners-up	South Africa
Third place	Guinea
Fourth place	Nigeria
Tournament statistics
Matches played	16
Goals scored	45 (2.81 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Victor Osimhen; (4 goals)

The 2015 African U-17 Championship was the 11th edition of the biennial international youth football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for players aged 17 and below. The tournament took place in Niamey, Niger, and was originally scheduled to be held between 2 and 16 May.[1] However, the date of the opening match was pushed forward to 15 February, with the tournament scheduled to conclude with the final on 1 March.[2]

The semi-finalists of the tournament qualified for the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.[3] Mali won the tournament, and were joined by South Africa, Guinea, and Nigeria as CAF qualifiers for the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Qualification

The qualifiers were played between June and September 2014. At the end of the qualification phase, seven teams joined the hosts Niger.

Player eligibility

During CAF Executive Committee meetings held on 21 and 22 September 2013, the CAF Medical Committee was instructed to continue the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to determine the ages of players and consequently their eligibility to participate in the qualifying stages of the tournament. It was also directed to ensure the authenticity of the process as well as the identity of the players involved.[4]

Qualified teams

Disqualified

Team Ghana was disqualified on 26 October, after medical test provided by the African Confederation after their first leg play off victory against Cameroon found that one of their players failed age eligibility confirmations. Ghana appealed but failed.[5]

Venues

Cities	Venues	Capacity
Niamey	Stade Général Seyni Kountché	35,000
Niamey	Stade Municipal	10,000

Match officials

The referees were:[6]

Referees

Mustapha Ghorbal
Helder Martins de Carvalho
Antoine Max Depadoux Effa Essouma
Ali Mohamed Adelaid
Lazard Tsiba Kamba
Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo
Joaquin Esono Eyang
Noureddine El Jaafari
Gomno Daouda
Ferdinand Anietie Udoh
Daouda Kebe
Kokou Hougnimon Fagla
Denis Batte

Assistant referees

Babadjide Bienvenu Dina
Soulaimane Amaldine
Ahmed Hossam Taha
Temesgin Samuel Atango
Marius Donatien Tan
Abdoulaye Sylla
Gilbert Cheruiyot
Souru Phatsoane
Arsénio Chadreque Marengula
Abdourahamane Diarra Soumana
Ababacar Sene
Serigne Cheikh Toure
Hamza Hagi Abdi
Mohammed Abdallah Ibrahim
Majed Rhouma
Tapfumanei Mutengwa

Draw

The draw for the final tournament was held on 21 December 2014, 11:00 UTC+02:00, at the CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.[7] Niger and Ivory Coast were seeded and placed into Groups A and B respectively.[8]

Squads

Each team can register a squad of 21 players (three of whom must be goalkeepers).[3]

Group stage

The group winners and runners-up advanced to the semi-finals and qualified for the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[9][10]

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:[3]

Number of points obtained in games between the teams concerned;
Goal difference in games between the teams concerned;
Goals scored in games between the teams concerned;
Goal difference in all games;
Goals scored in all games;
Fair Play point system in which the number of yellow and red cards are evaluated;
Drawing of lots.

All times UTC+01:00.

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Nigeria	3	2	1	0	6	2	+4	7	Knockout stage and 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup
2	Guinea	3	1	1	1	3	3	0	4	Knockout stage and 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup
3	Zambia	3	1	0	2	3	5	−2	3
4	Niger (H)	3	1	0	2	3	5	−2	3

Source: CAF
(H) Host.

15 February 2015