In the wake of Morocco’s elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations, head coach Walid El-Rakraki expressed his regret following a 2-0 defeat against South Africa in the round of 16.
Addressing the press in the post-match conference, El-Rakraki acknowledged that the Moroccan team had opportunities to score and was close to staging a comeback on multiple occasions.
However, he credited the opponent for their focused and solid performance, securing two goals that turned the tide and dashed Morocco’s hopes of advancing to the quarter-finals.
“The players delivered a good match, but the result does not reflect that. If we had converted the available chances into goals and not missed the penalty, the outcome would have been different,” stated El-Rakraki.
He added, “We failed to achieve what was expected. Offensive efficiency eluded us, unlike the opponent, who capitalized on opportunities.
We must accept the elimination and congratulate South Africa on their qualification.
They were more organized defensively, and we, in turn, failed to find the net, a matter that I deeply regret.”
El-Rakraki emphasized that all the necessary support and resources were provided by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, and the fans turned out to support the team.
Admitting his failure to achieve the desired outcome, he added optimistically, “It’s not the end of the world.
We will sit with the officials to assess what needs to change, and we will continue working towards the future.”
The Moroccan national team bid farewell to the Africa Cup of Nations (Ivory Coast 2023) after succumbing to a 2-0 defeat against South Africa in the round of 16.
The goals for South Africa were scored by Evidence Maqhubela (57th minute) and Teboho Mokoena (90+5th minute).
