«We dominated from start to finish», Regragui says after Morocco's World Cup qualifiers
Speaking after the Atlas Lions' World Cup qualifier against Tanzania on Tuesday, Morocco's national team coach, Walid Regragui, expressed satisfaction with his team's performance despite what he called «little details» that need improvement.
«We dominated possession, controlling 80% to 90% of the game», Regragui told Arryadia. «We created plenty of chances, and against Niger, we had everything under control. Towards the end, there were some technical errors and a bit of relaxation, which gave them a few opportunities, but overall, we were in command from start to finish».
His comments came in response to criticism of the Atlas Lions' narrow 2-1 win against Niger.
La longue réaction de Hoalid Regragui au micro d' @arryadiatv très heureux de la quasi qualification.
Il répond également aux critiques.
Qu'en pensez-vous ? pic.twitter.com/IUvrXDFG1S
— SOCCER212 (@SCCR_212) March 25, 2025
Regarding Tuesday's 2-2 draw against Tanzania, Regragui said: «We built this victory step by step. In the first half, the opposing team ran a lot, and we knew they would tire in the second half. That's where we had the advantage. We secured a 2-0 win, scored four goals in two matches, and maintained a perfect 15/15 points. We're progressing well, and I'm very happy with the players. We are now 99% closer to World Cup qualification».
Responding to further criticism of the team's performance in both matches, Regragui defended his squad's approach:
«We have built a strong team. Everything is going well, but if I had to go into details, I'd say we could have been more clinical in the first half, attacking more centrally. But strategically, we allowed them to run, knowing that in African football, exhausting the opposition is key. Just like against Niger, once they were tired in the second half, we took control and scored. The first goal always opens up the game and makes everything easier».
He expressed pride in his players, particularly given the challenges they faced:
«I'm extremely proud of the players, especially considering that many of them are competing in the Champions League and Europa League. Despite fasting during Ramadan, they did what was required and secured six crucial points».
Regragui also emphasized the team's long-term goals: «We already have a solid team, and we are building it to peak at the Africa Cup of Nations. One of our key objectives was World Cup qualification. It's not official yet, but we've achieved six consecutive wins in the AFCON qualifiers and five straight victories in the World Cup qualifiers. That's something to celebrate».
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