Casablanca – Morocco’s national futsal coach Hicham Dguig has acknowledged that his team still has areas to improve despite Wednesday’s commanding 7-0 victory over Zambia, which secured the Atlas Lions’ qualification for the 2026 Futsal Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semifinals.
Speaking to reporters after the Group A encounter at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Hall in Rabat, Dguig expressed satisfaction with the result but stressed that his team’s performance was not without shortcomings.
“Qualifying for the semifinals is a good thing. There were positives and negatives in this match, but overall, the performance was positive,” he said, according to SNRT News.
The Moroccan coach also reflected on the increasing competitiveness of African futsal, noting that Zambia had made progress since their previous meeting with Morocco.
“This edition is stronger than previous ones. The teams have prepared well. We beat Zambia 13-0 in 2024, but today they showed improvement,” Dguig explained.
Despite the seven-goal margin, Dguig acknowledged the difficulties posed by opponents who defend in compact formations and limit the space available for attacking movements.
According to statements carried by Morocco’s official news agency MAP, the coach explained that Morocco generally prefer facing teams that commit more players forward, which creates opportunities to exploit space behind their defence.
Read also: El Mesrar to MWN: ‘We Have to Stay Hungry’ Ahead of Futsal AFCON
He noted that Zambia’s zonal defensive approach required patience, particularly after Morocco established a four-goal advantage in the first half.
Nevertheless, Dguig hailed his players for maintaining their concentration and remaining committed to their attacking approach throughout the encounter.
Morocco had effectively taken control of the match within the opening minutes, with Idriss Raiss El Fenni scoring a hat-trick inside nine minutes.
Yanis Ahmed Erradaf added a fourth goal before halftime, while El Fenni completed his four-goal performance shortly after the restart.
Soufiane Charraoui and Youssef Jouad then added two late goals to complete the victory.
The encounter also raised concerns over Charraoui’s fitness after the Moroccan player suffered an injury following a challenge by Zambia’s Hendricks Chisanga, who was sent off.
Dguig expressed hope that the injury would prove minor, although he did not provide further details about the player’s condition.
Morocco’s latest victory follows their 4-0 win over Algeria in Monday’s opening fixture. The defending champions now have six points, 11 goals scored and none conceded after their first two matches.
The Atlas Lions have already secured their place in the semifinals, but their final Group A encounter against Libya on Friday, remains important in determining the final standings.
Morocco are seeking a fourth consecutive continental title after winning the Futsal AFCON in 2016, 2020 and 2024. Dguig’s side will now look to maintain their unbeaten start and continue their pursuit of another African crown on home soil.
