‘It was tough, I won’t lie’ - Morocco head coach hails Super Eagles’ performance

Morocco are through to the Africa Cup of Nations final after a tense penalty shootout victory over Nigeria in the semi-final, setting up a title clash with Senegal.

The tightly contested match at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah saw few clear-cut chances, with only six shots attempted over the 90 minutes. 

With the score deadlocked, the game was decided from the spot. Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou emerged as the hero for the Atlas Lions, saving penalties from Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi to clinch a place in the final for the host nation.

Following the match, Regragui acknowledged the tough challenge presented by the Super Eagles, commending their performance in Rabat.

"We came up against a very solid team," Regragui stated. "They [Nigeria] are an athletic team; they ran a lot, but they had two shots, one of which was on target. It just goes to show we've been talking about the defence for three years now."

Regragui, who famously led Morocco to a historic World Cup semi-final in 2022, emphasised his team's defensive strength and winning mentality.

"We have a fighting spirit, a desire to play for the jersey. It has always been my objective to instil that," he explained. "We closed down the angles of positioning, the transitions. It was tough, I won’t lie."

"We need to change our DNA. We need to get used to playing in the semi-finals. The more consistent we are, the more titles we can win," he added.

Looking ahead to the final against Senegal, Regragui described it as a "superb final with the best African teams of the last three years."

"It’s a fantastic team and golden people, brothers of Morocco. It’s a superb match-up," he said. "What matters to us is celebrating tonight, but we’re preparing for Sunday starting tomorrow. Recovery will begin so that we are ready mentally and physically."