Rabat – South Africa’s head coach Hugo Broos has acknowledged the challenge awaiting his team as Morocco’s Atlas Lions poised to win the AFCON trophy this year.
Broos, however, has confidence in his squad, stressing that a win against Morocco means that Bafana Bafana can reach the final.
“If we beat Morocco we have a big chance to play in the final, we will know we have beaten a very good team, and in the next round we will avoid a big team,” the Citizen quoted Broos as saying last week.
Broos also recalled Morocco’s heroics during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when the Atlas Lions reached the semi-finals.
“I think they (still) want to win the AFCON, maybe for the last time this will be a chance to achieve the highest level,” he said.
The coach was also determined to make “another surprise” during the AFCON.
Morocco’s national team is also determined to make another historic achievement this year during the continental tournament.
The Atlas Lions will face South Africa on Tuesday as part of the round of 16 phase. The North African country finished the group stage in style, with seven points.
During the first phase, Morocco won two games against Tanzania and Zambia. The second game in between against DR Congo finished in a 1-1 draw.
During an interview with CNN last week, Regragui said that his goal is to win the AFCON trophy with Morocco’s current team.
Regragui acknowledged that the tournament is a “very hard” tournament, but stressed that his goal is to do his best for Morocco and its fans.
Pointing out a photo of the national team that won the only trophy for Morocco in 1976, Regragui said his goal is not to remove that photo but instead to add a new picture of the Atlas Lions with their second AFCON trophy.
