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Rabat – Moroccan coach Hussein Ammouta has said his squad did not show the “required” level against the Algerian national team during their quarter-final game in the FIFA Arab Cup on Saturday.
In a post-match press statement, Ammouta said that his players were not “mentally prepared.”
However, he expressed satisfaction that the match ended with a score of 2-2.
“Our disqualification came due to penalties.”
He congratulated the Algerian football team, saying that maybe Algeria’s squad was better or deserved to win more than Morocco’s team.
“We were not playing with 100% of our force. We had the opportunity to win and qualify,” he added.
In Doha, thousands of Moroccan fans attended the match, waving Morocco’s flags and chanting slogans to cheer on the national team.
Cameras covering the match captured many Moroccans crying and shocked after the disqualification of Morocco’s national team from the Arab Cup.
The disqualification of the Moroccan team came as a surprise to many, including most sport commentators for whom the team was one of the biggest favorites.
Many internet users also expressed satisfaction with the spirit of friendship and “brotherhood” that both Algerian and Moroccan players showed during the match.
The comments of satisfaction with the spirit of “brotherhood” and “neighborliness” contrast with the growing political tensions between Algeria and Morocco.
The Algerian regime severed relations with Morocco last August, claiming without evidence that Morocco was involved in a plot to destabilize Algeria.
