Walid Regragui admitted Morocco had to “suffer” to reach the quarter-finals and warned his players that a repeat of their first-half display will not be enough in the later rounds.
The Atlas Lions edged Tanzania 1–0 in Rabat thanks to Brahim Diaz’s fourth goal of the tournament but needed patience and resilience to break down a stubborn opponent.
Regragui acknowledged the uneven performance, openly criticising Morocco’s start before praising their response after the break.
“We knew it was not going to be easy, judging by the matches we saw yesterday, even if we thought it might be more straightforward. The first half was not good, but I recognised my team much more in the second half. The most important thing is qualification.”
Beyond the win, Regragui’s main concern was the injury ruling midfielder Azzedine Ounahi out of the tournament, describing him as “an exceptional player and a leader in our dressing room.”
The coach insisted Morocco must now play with Ounahi in mind, promising his side “will continue to fight for him” as they chase the title on home soil.
