The Moroccan national team is set for a fiery encounter against Tanzania at 7 p.m. this Wednesday at Laurent Pokou Stadium in the opening match of Group Six at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Côte d’Ivoire.
The Moroccan team, crowned continental champions only once in 1976, aspires to clinch their second title in history.
Led by figures like Achraf Hakimi, Nacer Mazraoui, and Amin Harit, they boast a distinguished group of players.
The Atlas Lions have reached the final only once before, in 2004, securing third place just once.
They attained fourth place in two consecutive editions, notably in 1988, the only instance organized by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.
Coach Walid Regragui unveiled the final squad of 28 players, including the Pyramid’s player Mohamed El Shebby.
Notably absent are Abdel Razzaq Hamdallah of Al Ittihad Jeddah and Jawad Yamiq of Al Wahda in Saudi Arabia. Sufian Rahimi, the striker for Al Ain in the UAE, remains unavailable.
Regragui expressed, “With the kick-off approaching, enthusiasm is rising. We understand that Moroccan fans have high hopes, and we aim not to disappoint them.
The preparations for the tournament were ideal.”
The draw for the Africa Cup of Nations placed the Atlas Lions in Group Six alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and Tanzania.
As for the Tanzanian national team, led by Algerian coach Adel Amrouche, it participates in the tournament for the third time.
In previous attempts, Tanzania exited at the group stage, managing only one draw and suffering five defeats.
Coach Amrouche stated that the match against Morocco would be challenging but not impossible.
He emphasized the unpredictability of football, stating, “While Morocco appears stronger on paper, the pitch tells a different story.
Football is full of surprises, and as a coach, my task is to utilize everything at my disposal to lead my team to victory.”
In the same group, the Democratic Republic of Congo faces Zambia on the same field at 10 p.m. in a heated encounter for both teams’ first match in the tournament.
Sebastien Desabre, the French coach leading DR Congo, is seeking a strong start, having announced the final squad featuring 24 players, including Viston Mayele of Pyramids FC in Egypt and Yuan Wesa of Brentford in England.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, with two Africa Cup of Nations titles in 1968 and 1974, is looking for a robust start in the tournament.
Zambia, having won their first title in 2012, relies on experienced players like team captain Enoch Mwepu, along with Emmanuel Mbola of Pyramids FC in Egypt.
