Morocco coach Walid Regragui admitted the pain of losing the Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday, saying football can be cruel in such moments and that the match was decided by fine details and a complicated scenario.
“It is very, very difficult,” Regragui said at the post-match press conference. “The match scenario turned against us after we had to play extra time with 10 men, and that clearly affected the course of the game.”
Regragui said winning the continental title is not easy and requires work, patience, and perseverance, and he insisted Morocco would come back stronger in the future. He declined to answer a question about whether he would resign.
He described the match as “Hitchcockian,” saying the team paid a heavy price not only in terms of the result but also because of a serious injury to defender Hamza Ighman, which is suspected to be an anterior cruciate ligament injury and could end his season.
The coach said the game was balanced from the start, as expected, and that small details made the difference, particularly the missed penalty that shifted the momentum in Senegal’s favor.
Regragui said Brahim Diaz was the designated penalty taker and that missing penalties is part of football, recalling a similar miss by Achraf Hakimi in a previous tournament. He added that the long delay before the kick may have affected Dia mentally.
Regragui also criticized Senegal coach Aliou Cissé for urging his players to leave the field, calling the move “unfortunate” and saying such behavior harms the reputation of the game. Still, he congratulated Senegal on the title and said Morocco would remain dignified.
He took full responsibility for his tactical decisions, both in the final and throughout the tournament, saying that any decision becomes subject to criticism when the result is negative. “I take responsibility for this failure,” he said.
Regragui singled out goalkeeper Yassine Bounou for praise, calling him “a legend in Morocco and Africa,” citing his decisive role in keeping Morocco in the match until the final moments and his motivational leadership in the locker room.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.