“The Liberation Stadium”. If one day the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat were to find a nickname, the emotions which, this Friday, January 9, mixed within it would be a perfect source of inspiration. Exaltation, pride, cohesion, authority, euphoria and relief, everything the Moroccan public had been asking for since the start of the tournament, the Atlas Lions finally served it up to them on a platter during this sparkling quarter-final won against Cameroon (2-0). A festival of CAN and sensations, each more refreshing than the other as they finally draw the composite portrait of a selection with the profile of a credible candidate for the coronation which will be held on January 18.
If the explosion of joy, in the stands as in the streets of the kingdom, was as crazy as these 22 years without a semi-final, the credit goes first, of course, to Walid Regragui and his troops who, for their first big test of the tournament, brilliantly took up the challenge imposed on them by a selection from Cameroon which had until then never bowed to Morocco in a CAN match. But if Brahim Diaz scored his fifth goal in as many matches and guided his team to the last four of the event, it was because with his partners he had, for the first time in the competition, a strong ally.
Until then observant, expectant, also a bit critical in the face of the hesitations of their protégés, the stands this time delivered a top-notch match by breaking their voices to support their Lions from the anthems to the final whistle. Walid Regragui was not mistaken, he who, usually without filter when confronting the supporters with their responsibilities, this time gave them a tip of the hat equal to that which he had reserved for his troops.
“Tonight we really felt at home”
“Thank you to the players and the public,” he opened in a post-match press conference. Tonight we played with 12 players and we really felt like we were at home. » A reason which, for him, explains in particular why “we had our best first half since the World Cup or the friendly match against Brazil. » A feeling shared by Yacine Bounou at the microphone of BeIN Sports. “We felt the energy of the public and the players were up to the task of responding,” said the Moroccan goalkeeper. These are matches where, emotionally, the team will continue to progress to face this responsibility and this pressure of playing in front of their audience to give them what they want. »
Namely strong and if possible happy emotions. Because if Morocco struck a big blow this Friday by inviting itself into the last four without conceding a single goal, it has only crossed its first pass in this ascent which promises to gain in difficulty at the next turn. Walid Regargui knows this, he who has already said he hopes not to pay for all this debauchery of energy in the next match. And for good reason, on Wednesday, again in Rabat, it will be the hard-hitting Nigeria of Victor Osimen and Ademola Lookman or the tenacious Algeria of Riyad Mahrez and Luca Zidane who will compete for the VIP pass for the final.
Two big pieces with different styles which did not push the players or the Moroccan staff to share their preferences for the meeting on Wednesday evening. “Algeria or Nigeria? We walk into this CAN with complete humility, just indicated Yacine Bounou. We will prepare for the match to be up to it. » “They are two great nations, two teams with different styles,” Regragui conceded before agreeing: “If it’s Algeria, it will be a great derby, a big party and we will be very happy. »
Even if in reality the identity of the opponent does not matter for Ismael Saibari, who appeared with a big smile but also very concentrated at the microphone of BeIN Sports, as the goal remains the same for him and his partners. “I’m very happy that we came through,” explained the man who was voted man of the match. After 20 years, we’re in the semi-finals, that’s what’s most important. But it’s not over yet, there are still two matches to be champion. »And to recall what everyone in Morocco has in mind: “We want to go all the way!” »
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