After his team defeated Tanzania 3-0 to begin their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations campaign, Morocco’s coach Walid Regragui acknowledged his satisfaction.
“We respected Tanzania, but first matches are always tough, and the humidity made this one tough,” Regragui stated during Wednesday’s Group F match.
“The team’s spirit was very good and we got an important win.”
The head of Atlas Lions thought Morocco did a good job of executing their plan against challenging opponents.
“We wanted to score early and had chances, but the goal finally came from a set piece. Once we scored, that was the hard part done,” analysed Regragui.
He added: “At times in the second half we accepted not having the ball and managed the game like a great team.”
Regragui thinks Morocco benefited from competing in the tournament after other teams.
Observing their initial encounters helped us steer clear of the same errors.
“We noticed many sides declined physically in the second half, so we prepared to stay fresh,” he said.
The Moroccans’ second group match is scheduled for January 21 against DR Congo.
Regragui will be hoping that his gifted side can sustain intensity after a calm start.
With players like Sofyan Amrabat and Achraf Hakimi coming out uninjured, Morocco already seems well-positioned to advance in Cote d’Ivoire.