Morocco's U20 national team saw its hopes of reaching the Mediterranean Games final come to an end on Friday evening after a dramatic penalty shootout defeat to Algeria in Taranto, Italy.
The Atlas Cubs showed resilience throughout the contest, recovering from an early deficit before taking the semifinal all the way to the decisive spot kicks.
Algeria Strike First
The encounter at the Ecovoni Stadium began with both teams showing tremendous intensity as they battled for a place in the final.
Algeria broke the deadlock in the 25th minute, with Ben Ahmed Kohili finishing one of his side's attacking moves to give his team a 1-0 lead.
Morocco responded with determination, continuing to search for a way back into the contest.
Morocco Fight Back
The Atlas Cubs' persistence was rewarded in the 72nd minute.
Khaled Kasbi found the equalizer, bringing Morocco level and giving the team renewed belief heading into the closing stages.
Neither side could find a second goal before the final whistle, sending the semifinal to a penalty shootout.
The Decisive Shootout
The drama continued from the penalty spot.
Morocco converted three penalties but saw two attempts go wide, while Algeria missed once and eventually prevailed 4-3 to book its place in the Mediterranean Games final.
For the Atlas Cubs, the result brought a difficult ending to a campaign in which the players fought until the very last moment.
One More Medal to Fight For
Although the final is now out of reach, Morocco's tournament is not over.
The Atlas Cubs will compete in the bronze medal match, offering another opportunity to finish their Mediterranean Games journey on a positive note and return home with a medal.
The disappointment of the semifinal will fuel one final challenge. Morocco still has a medal within reach, and the Atlas Cubs will have one more chance to make their mark in Taranto.