CAN Morocco 2025: Walid Regragui Describes Draw Against Mali as Frustrating Yet Educational
The national coach Walid Regragui described the 1-1 draw conceded by the Lions of the Atlas against Mali as “frustrating” on Friday, during the second match of Group A of the Morocco Africa Cup of Nations 2025, while considering that this outcome “will serve well for the rest of the competition.”
An intense match against a solid Malian team
In the post-match press conference, Walid Regragui acknowledged the quality of the opponent:
“We faced a strong Malian side. We could have sealed the game, but this draw will help us moving forward. It was a great contest,” he stated.
Despite his frustration with the result, the Moroccan coach remained optimistic about his team’s future in the continental competition.
Goal: Finish at the top of the group
The national coach reiterated the ambitions of the Lions of the Atlas:
“We will continue our path. Our objective is to finish first in our group,” he emphasized, praising the mindset of his players who “did not give up and put in a lot of intensity.”
However, Regragui stressed the need to improve offensive efficiency:
“We need to be more effective in this kind of match. It’s better that it happens now.”
A halted streak, but a team on the rise
The draw against Mali ended Morocco’s winning streak, a point the coach mitigated:
“It’s been a while since we were pushed this hard. Every match has its own truth. We created many opportunities, but we exposed ourselves too much. This draw has stopped our winning streak. We’re starting from scratch,” he explained, assuring that the team “will step up its game.”
Regarding the squad, Regragui also mentioned the case of Achraf Hakimi, indicating that a return for the captain is possible in the knockout stages, without ruling out participation against Zambia.
Neil El Ainaoui: “Very disappointed”
On his part, midfielder Neil El Ainaoui, named man of the match, did not hide his disappointment:
“It’s not the result we were hoping for. It’s bittersweet. We need to move on, correct our mistakes, and focus on the next match.”
The AS Roma player also highlighted the difficulties faced against well-organized teams:
“We knew we would encounter this type of team in this AFCON. We need to find solutions to create more chances and score goals.”
Morocco still leads before the clash with Zambia
Thanks to this draw, the Lions of the Atlas maintain first place in Group A with 4 points, ahead of Zambia and Mali (2 points each), while the Comoros sit at the bottom with just one point.
In the third and final day of the group phase, Morocco will face Zambia next Monday at 8:00 PM, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, aiming to secure qualification for the round of 16 of AFCON 2025.
