Morocco coach Walid Regragui praised his team’s composure following their penalty shootout win over Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final on Wednesday.
Speaking to the media, Regragui highlighted the respect between the two sides, noting the match was a fierce battle between teams with similar playing styles and skilled squads.
“When you see the way they beat Algeria (2-0 in the quarter-finals), you ask many questions, because we rely on the same style of play, and we had to be careful.
“We tried to put pressure on the beginning, and even the possession was close, and the confrontation was similar to a heavyweight boxing match,” he said.
Regragui added that fear was never part of Morocco’s mindset. “We did not enter the match with fear, because that is not who we are,” he said.
The Atlas Lions now turn their attention to the final, where they will face Senegal on Sunday at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. Kick-off is set for 19:00 GMT.
