“Mali match was a useful test for us” – Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou

Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou has described the Atlas Lions’ 1-1 draw against Mali as a valuable test despite the failure to secure victory at the Grand Stadium of Tangier.

Bounou praised Mali’s quality and said the West African side provided Morocco with a strong challenge, while also highlighting the performances of the players who were given an opportunity to feature.

Speaking to the media after the game, the goalkeeper insisted that the changes made to Morocco’s starting lineup did not negatively affect the team’s overall performance.

“Mali showed that they are a strong team, and the match was useful for us. Despite the changes we made to the lineup, the players who came in performed well and maintained the level of the team.”

Bounou believes the encounter also gave Morocco’s technical team an opportunity to assess the squad ahead of their next assignments.

“There are several positive things that we can take from this match, but there are also areas that we need to work on. These are things we will continue to improve in the coming period.”

Manchester City midfielder Ayoub Bouaddi also reflected positively on the encounter, acknowledging the quality of the Malian side.

The youngster said Morocco had hoped to finish the game with a victory but believes the draw will still provide valuable lessons for the team.

“We played a good match against a strong opponent with players who have a lot of technical quality. We wanted to win, of course, but this draw allows us to analyse our performance and identify the details that we need to improve.”

Bouaddi added that the team is already aware of the areas that require attention and will use the next training camp to continue their development.

“We know the areas where we have to improve, and the next training camp will give us the opportunity to work on them and continue preparing as a team.”