Egypt's youth team lost to Morocco by two goals without reply in the match held during the fourth round of the North African qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Youth Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to be held in Ghana in February 2027.
Adam Belal and Sami Bouhoudan scored Morocco's brace in the first half.
The tournament features teams from Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, and Libya, with the top two qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Belal opened the scoring in the 25th minute with a header following a cross from a free kick.
Bouhoudan added the second goal in the 33rd minute after a run down the right side into the penalty area, followed by a shot on target.
Egypt's youth team tried to get back into the game, but the team failed to achieve the desired result.
Egypt's youth team lost the group lead to Morocco.
Morocco's points total rose to seven at the top, while Egypt remained on six points in second place, followed by Algeria with four points, then Tunisia in fourth with three points, and Libya at the bottom of the group with one point.
A win against Morocco would have been enough for Egypt to secure direct qualification before the final round of the qualifiers.
Egypt needs a win or a draw against Algeria in the next match to guarantee direct qualification to the Africa Cup of Nations.
On the other hand, Morocco will face their opponent Libya.
Wael Riad leads the coaching staff of Egypt's youth team.
Four teams will qualify from the Africa Cup of Nations to the World Cup.
The upcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup will be held in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan between May and June 2027, featuring 24 national teams.
