Wydad El Rokraki, the head coach of the Moroccan national team, has affirmed his team’s aim to secure a victory against South Africa in the upcoming Tuesday match within the Round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations.
The tournament, hosted by Ivory Coast, is scheduled until February 11, with El Rokraki also revealing the conclusion of player Sofiane Boufal’s journey in the championship due to injury.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference, El Rokraki stated, “We have forgotten the match against South Africa that we lost in Johannesburg before.
We have a new team that will deliver a good performance.”
He added, “We have full confidence in the players to achieve victory, especially as the Moroccan national team has undergone changes in terms of players. Inshallah, we will secure the win.”
El Rokraki announced the end of Boufal’s journey in the AFCON due to injury, emphasizing the urgent need for focus and precision in this crucial stage of the tournament.
“The injury has ended Boufal’s journey in the AFCON,” he added.
“We urgently need focus and precision, especially as there is no room for error at this important stage of the championship.”
Regarding the doubts surrounding the participation of Hakim Ziyech against South Africa, El Rokraki stated, “We have not made a decision on Hakim Ziyech’s participation.
We will wait until the last minutes before the match to see if he is ready or not.
We will not make any decisions or take risks if the player is not ready.”
Speaking about Nacer Mazraoui’s readiness, he emphasized, “Nacer Mazraoui is ready after completing his treatment protocol.
Therefore, he is ready for the match against South Africa.”
Addressing Egypt’s elimination from the AFCON, El Rokraki stated, “I am not concerned about Egypt’s elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations, and we do not play for the Arabs.
We play only for Morocco.”
El Rokraki’s comments reflect the team’s determination to focus solely on their national objectives, irrespective of other teams’ outcomes in the tournament.
