Rabat – Morocco’s head coach Walid Regragui expressed his disappointment and took full responsibility for the team’s elimination from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following a 2-0 defeat against South Africa in the Round of 16.
Speaking during a press conference following the game last night, Regragui acknowledged that the team failed to capitalize on the opportunities presented during the match but stressed that the players performed “to the fullest.”
He admitted that he, as the coach, fell short in managing the game effectively, which ultimately led to the defeat in front of the Bafana Bafana and subsequent elimination from the tournament.
“I take full responsibility, and I don’t hide behind any excuses,” said Regragui, while emphasizing that there was no reason to blame the players for their performance.
Despite not taking advantage of several scoring opportunities throughout the match and missing a penalty in the second half, he commended the players for giving their best.
The Atlas Lions had several golden opportunities to score a goal and overturn the results, notably through Ayoub El Kaabi, Noussair Mazraoui, Youssef En-Nsyri, and Abde Azzalzouli. However, they could not get through South Africa’s defense line.
Morocco’s biggest scoring opportunity fell to Achraf Hakimi after South Africa’s Mothobi Mvala handled the ball in the penalty area. But the PSG right-back hit the ball too hard and it bounced off the crossbar, missing the target.
Meanwhile, South Africa proved to be a strong opponent and secured their ticket for the next stage of the tournament. They will play against Cape Verde in the AFCON quarterfinals on Saturday.
The Moroccan national team were favorites to not only win yesterday’s clash against South Africa but the tournament itself.
The coach expressed his regret at the missed opportunity, saying: “Unfortunately, I thought we were capable of bringing the cup back to Morocco, but I failed.”
