فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Walid Regragui, head coach of Morocco’s national team, said the match against Mali—ending in a 1–1 draw in the second round of the AFCON group stage—was highly intense, played at a fast tempo, and marked by clear competitiveness. He stressed that the “Atlas Lions” delivered what was required, despite missing chances that could have settled the result.
Speaking after the game, Regragui described it as a “high-level” encounter, noting that Morocco managed to impose its rhythm at key moments and created scoring opportunities, before Mali equalized through a penalty kick. He added that the team needed to be more “clinical” in front of goal to make the most of decisive moments.
He emphasized that matches of this level do not offer many chances, which makes taking the available ones essential. He said Morocco came close on more than one occasion to finishing the game in its favor, but the score remained level.
From a tactical standpoint, Regragui explained that Mali chose to sit back and allow Morocco to have possession—something the coaching staff expected. He also pointed out that Morocco showed defensive solidity and did not give the opponent many clear chances, while noting a shift in Mali’s momentum after several second-half substitutions.
Regragui concluded by saying the draw remains a positive result in the context of the competition, as Morocco gained an additional point. He called for turning the page on this match and focusing on the final group-stage game.
After this result, Morocco stayed top of its group with 4 points, ahead of Mali and Zambia on 2 points each, while Comoros sit at the bottom with 1 point—leaving qualification still open going into the final round.
Source: Fes News Media
