Rabat – Head coach of the Moroccan national futsal team Hicham Dguig praised his squad’s attacking spirit in their first 2024 AFCON game against Angola on Thursday.
The match was part of the first group stage match of the Futsal Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) scheduled between April 11-21.
“The match was difficult against Angola, a team we do not know well, but the constant offensive pressure of the national elements enabled us to win the match,” he said, stressing that “the most important thing is that we managed to earn the three points of victory.”
As the defending champions, Dguig argued, the Moroccan national team is being watched by every other team participating in this continental competition.
He provided insights into Morocco’s slow start against Angola, noting that his team could not take control of the match from the outset because they did not know their opponent very well.
It took them some time to counter Angola’s tactics, as was evident in the second half when several goals were scored to seal the victory, he argued. “We adjusted our game to take a better approach to the match,” Dguig said.
Scoring goals is what matters most and the squad will improve over the course of the next few games, the coach went on to explain. He said that the players now have greater self-assurance and are excited for the next games.
Speaking of Soufian Charraoui, who scored a hat-trick during the Morocco-Angola match, Dguig noted that the player succeeded in releasing the pressure despite his first participation in the CAN.
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“We managed to find solutions to break down the Angolan defense, thanks in particular to pressure and the creation of recurring chances,” Dguig said.
Morocco won big against Angola 5-2 in the first group stage match which took place on Thursday at the Moulay Abdellah Complex in Rabat. The Atlas Lions’ second game will be against Ghana on April 13 at the same venue.
It is difficult to compete with Morocco, one of the best teams in the world, said Angola’s coach Marcos Antunes, noting that the individual skills of the Moroccan players made the difference in this encounter.
“We will prepare well for the next match to win it and keep our chances at this competition,” he continued, adding: “on the pitch, the Moroccan team was the strongest, but that is no excuse for us, even though we have not played any international matches since 2021.”
Antunes also applauded Morocco’s organization of this edition, describing it as a “world-class organization.”
He concluded, “I think that this edition of the CAN organized in Morocco is the best in terms of sports infrastructure and logistics.”
