Rabat – Head coach for Morocco’s U20 national football team, Mohamed Ouahbi, is confident that his squad is able to achieve “great things” during the U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) taking place in Egypt.
The Atlas Lions qualified to move on to the semi-final after a thrilling and dramatic win against Sierra Leone in the quarter-final game that took place on Monday.
At the post-match press conference, Ouahbi said that his team will continue with the same momentum in the tournament, noting that reaching the final is the main goal.
The win over Sierra Leone also booked a ticket for the team to the World Cup.
He said that the victory over Sierra Leone is “well deserved,” noting that he is satisfied with the players’ performance. Ouahbi also commended Sierra Leone’s team, describing them as a tough opponent.
Now, the Moroccan team will face Egypt in the semi-finals, and Ouahbi assured that his players will give their all against the squad, which he described as an “organized team with quality players.”
Ilias Boumassaoudi, who clinched the man of the match during the game, said he was happy to experience such moments with Morocco’s U20 national team.
The players are determined to win against Egypt and continue their journey, he added.
Sierra Leone’s head coach, Mohamed Lamin Kamar, said that his objective against Morocco was to reach the end of regular plus extra time with a draw and then move to the penalty shootout to decide the winner.
Despite the defeat, he saluted his players for their outstanding performance, emphasizing the importance of learning from Sierra Leone’s first participation in the tournament.
Morocco’s semifinal game against Egypt will take place on Thursday at 7 p.m. Moroccan time.
The semifinal round will also see South Africa facing Nigeria in a thrilling game, also scheduled for Thursday at 4 p.m. Moroccan time.
