Ouahbi praises Morocco’s discipline after Lesotho win

Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi said he was satisfied with his team’s performance after a 2-0 victory over Lesotho gave the Atlas Lions a second straight win in qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

The victory lifted Morocco to six points after two matches and fulfilled the objective set for the game, Ouahbi said at a post-match news conference.

“It was not an easy match, particularly given the circumstances surrounding it,” Ouahbi said, pointing to the condition of the pitch, which he said prevented Morocco from playing the type of football it normally seeks to produce.

The difficult surface forced Morocco to adopt a more pragmatic approach and adapt to the conditions, he said.

Ouahbi praised his players for maintaining their concentration and discipline throughout the match, while acknowledging that an earlier goal would have allowed Morocco to control the game more comfortably.

“Scoring early would have given us greater control over the match,” he said, adding that the team ultimately achieved its objective while keeping a clean sheet.

The coach said the victory was valuable beyond the three points, as it also allowed several players to gain additional playing time.

That, he said, would give the coaching staff more options and help the team continue developing ahead of its next challenges.

Ouahbi said Morocco was moving in a positive direction, with the opening two matches revealing several encouraging aspects as well as areas that still require work.

Morocco will next face Niger twice in qualifying before taking on Gabon, according to Ouahbi. He said the matches would provide further opportunities to improve the team’s cohesion and performance.

The coach stressed the importance of maintaining focus and discipline, saying the six points collected at the start of the campaign provided an important boost while the team continued working to address its shortcomings.