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Rabat – Morocco’s head coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, paid a special tribute to Moroccan fans, who stayed up until dawn to celebrate the Atlas Lions’ well-deserved win against the Netherlands.
He said he knows many people in Morocco did not sleep, but he knows they will go to work with a smile.
Morocco erupted in celebrations after the Atlas Lions’ successful penalty shootout against the Netherlands, sending the Dutch home and qualifying the Moroccan national team for the Round of 16.
Ouahbi acknowledged the game was not easy and emphasized how patience and faith helped Morocco reach the next stage, expressing satisfaction with the squad’s resilience and how they controlled the game.
He said the calmness and focus the Atlas Lions displayed allowed them to control the match, along with their possession and creation of chances.
He told beIN Sports that the win is well deserved and that sometimes “we need to accept winning this way.”
Gifting the win to the whole of Morocco, Moroccans, and King Mohammed VI, Ouahbi said the adventure is ongoing and stressed that the Atlas Lions will continue their hard work throughout the competition.
Morocco’s Atlas Lions coach emphasized that everyone is wondering how the national team is doing this, answering those questions by emphasizing that it is also because of the support the national team receives through letters and messages from the people.
Atlas Lion Achraf Hakimi also celebrated the win, stating that the national team showed its identity as a powerhouse, emphasizing that the victory was well deserved, with all the players fighting until the last minute.
Hakimi echoed coach Ouahbi’s remarks, stating Morocco created chances and that possession was in favor of the national team. He also acknowledged that he knew the national team would reach the Round of 16 because Yassine Bounou was there to the rescue.
He also thanked all the supporters for their backing throughout the game.
Ayyoub Bouaddi also expressed satisfaction with Morocco’s victory, stating that the game showed the Atlas Lions’ confidence, readiness, and resilience, while acknowledging that it was not an easy match. Now Morocco will face Canada in the Round of 16 on Saturday at 6 p.m. Moroccan time.
