Assahafa.com
Morocco’s head coach, Walid Regragui, did not hide his disappointment after the Atlas Lions’ relatively underwhelming 2-1 victory over Niger in Oujda on Friday night.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Regragui criticized his team’s performance. He particularly took issue with the team’s display in the first half, stressing the need for greater intensity and focus.
“It was a tough match. I didn’t like the first half—we wasted 45 minutes for nothing. Until the 55th minute, we played poorly; we were asleep in the first half,” he said.
Regragui admitted that it took Niger’s opening goal in the second half to wake his players up. “The substitutions changed everything,” he explained. “Niger’s goal was a wake-up call for us. After that, we returned with a different mentality.”
Despite securing the win, Regragui was not satisfied with the wasted opportunities and the lack of sharpness from his squad. “We missed many chances. We’ve learned from our mistakes, and we need to stay grounded. The quality is there, but competition for places is tough. Players who sleep and don’t give their all will stay on the bench.”
He acknowledged that, despite the difficulty of securing a 2-1 victory over Niger, the match would greatly benefit the national team by helping identify its weaknesses. “We learn more from such difficult matches than from matches where we win by seven goals to zero,” the coach explained.
He suggested that yesterday’s underperformance might be due to his players’ underestimating the Nigerien team, an attitude he described as deplorable and worrisome.
“Despite the victory, I am worried. Perhaps the previous matches, where we won by 5 or 7 goals, made the players approach this training camp with a relaxed attitude. Maybe my approach should be stricter,” Regragui said.
He concluded: “Any player who comes to wear the national jersey should not play with 50 or 60 percent of their potential, so I will make the right decisions.”
The Moroccan coach also highlighted the crucial support of the Oujda crowd in helping his team turn the game around.
“The supporters in Oujda helped the national team get back into the game,” he suggested. “If the match had taken place in another city, we wouldn’t have received the same support after falling behind.”
When asked about the team’s central defense, Regragui explained his decision to test Jawad El Yamiq, noting that Talbi might be available for the next match against Tanzania, while Osame Sahraoui’s participation remains uncertain.
As Morocco prepares for its next match against Tanzania on March 25, Regragui’s message is that complacency will not be tolerated, and that players must prove they deserve their place on the team.
Source: Morocco word news
