Morocco U-17 head coach, Nabil Baha, has assured that nothing will stop them from winning the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Morocco cruised over South Africa on Thursday to book a place in the last four of the ongoing tournament.
“Qualification was difficult and arduous due to the strength of the opponent, who exhausted us greatly. You cannot imagine the extent of the joy we felt, as it came after suffering against a fierce opponent,” Baha said after the game.
“I feel proud because the joy that overwhelmed Moroccans after qualifying had an impact on me and the players as a whole.”
“We don’t have a favorite team. Anyone who comes is welcome. As we say here, we are here for one goal that we have planned and defined from the beginning, which is to win the title.
“I expect a stronger fan presence in the semi-finals, because we are one step away from achieving a dream that all Moroccans have, which is to win the cup,” he added.
Regarding what the cameras captured when Baha addressed the stands asking them to shut up after his son scored two goals, the Moroccan youth coach denied this.
“I did not ask the fans to be silent, but rather encouraged them to continue making noise to motivate the players,” he said.
“My son Ziad deserves to play because of his strong records, not because of his relationship with his father. He also has another daughter who plays for Barcelona and represents the Moroccan women’s national team, and she is a sporting phenomenon.
“I hope my gesture is not misunderstood. I have nothing to apologize for. The goal is to achieve victory, not to compliment any player,” he added.