Mozambique’s coach Chiquinho Conde admitted his team expected a fierce start from Côte d’Ivoire and felt small moments of lost focus undid an otherwise disciplined display in Marrakech.
Conde explained that his staff had anticipated early pressure because of the individual quality in the Ivorian squad and tried to build a plan around managing those moments.
“We expected to face difficulties at the start of the match because of Côte d’Ivoire’s individual quality, and we knew that small details would make the difference,” he said.
He pointed to specific phases where Mozambique briefly switched off as the turning points of the game.
“We knew Côte d’Ivoire would start very strongly in the opening minutes, and we tried to manage the details. In some transitions, especially when the ball was switched lack of communication and marking inside the box cost us dearly.”
Despite the defeat, Conde’s words reflected belief that Mozambique can still grow into the tournament if they sharpen concentration in critical situations.
Mozambique will play Gabon in their next group game on December 28th.
