Walid Regragui, coach of the Moroccan national team, acknowledged the difficulty of losing the final of the African Cup of Nations, stressing that football can be cruel in such moments, especially in a match that was decided with precise details and a complex scenario.
Regragui said during the press conference after the final: “It is very, very difficult. The match scenario turned against us after we were forced to play the extra two halves with ten players, which clearly affected the course of the match.”
Walid explained that winning the continental title is not an easy matter, and requires work, patience and perseverance, stressing that the Moroccan national team will return stronger in the future, while at the same time refusing to answer a question regarding submitting his resignation.
The “Atlas Lions” coach described the confrontation as “Hitchcockian,” noting that the team paid a heavy price, not only in terms of the result, but also because of the serious injury suffered by the player Hamza Aghaman, which is likely to be at the level of the cruciate ligament, which may mean the end of his sporting season.
Regragui confirmed that the match was equal from the beginning, as expected, explaining that the small details made the difference, most notably the missed penalty kick. Which changed the course of the match and gave the advantage to the competitor.
Regarding the penalty kick, Regragui stressed that Ibrahim Diaz is the first kicker, and that missing penalty kicks remains a part of football, recalling what happened previously with Ashraf Hakimi in a previous tournament. He also pointed out that the long pause that preceded the kick contributed to Diaz’s mental confusion.
The Moroccan national team coach commented on some of the events that took place in the match, saying: “It is unfortunate that the Senegalese coach resorted to asking his players to leave the field, because such actions harm the reputation of football, but that does not prevent us from congratulating the Senegalese national team on the coronation, and making sure to remain classy.”
Regragui took full responsibility for his artistic choices, whether in the final match or during the tournament as a whole, considering that any decision becomes subject to criticism when the result is negative, adding: “I bear responsibility for this failure.”
Regragui also singled out goalkeeper Yassine Bounou for special praise, describing him as “a legend in Morocco and Africa,” due to his decisive role in keeping the team in the match atmosphere until the last moments, in addition to his positive influence inside the locker room, through his motivational speech to his teammates.
