Morocco-Syria: Sektioui Bets on His Team’s Potential to Reach the Arab Cup Semifinals
Qatar 2025 Arab Cup: A Crucial Quarterfinal Showdown for Morocco and Syria
A day before the quarterfinal of the Qatar 2025 Arab Cup, the head coach of the national team, Tarik Sektioui, emphasized the importance of seizing key moments to secure victory against Syria.
During a press conference held Wednesday in Doha, Sektioui stated: "The absence of several key players will not hinder the national team from tapping into its potential to win against Syria," while adding that "the match will be challenging."
The coach indicated that the technical staff will strive to field the best possible lineup to ensure qualification for the semifinals. According to him, identifying and exploiting the weaknesses of the Syrian opponent could greatly ease the task for the Lions of the Atlas.
Sektioui also spoke about his players’ preparation, underscoring that it has been progressing "in good conditions, similar to all the matches in this competition," with the team operating in an environment marked by "solidarity, responsibility, seriousness, and professionalism."
Goalkeeper Salaheddine Chihab echoed these sentiments: "The preparations are going well ahead of the match against a strong Syrian team," adding that "the players’ desire to reach the semifinals grows stronger each day."
On the Syrian side, coach José Lana remarked: "We are preparing well for this match against Morocco, which has a solid team," specifying that "this encounter will be an opportunity to develop Syria’s playing style for the future."
Lana further mentioned that his team would prioritize defense and apply pressure on the Moroccan players to "prevent them from easily constructing their plays," while acknowledging that "Morocco possesses a strong team, and its players are determined to deliver a great performance."
In the group stage, Morocco finished atop the standings with 7 points, ahead of Saudi Arabia (6 points), Oman (4 points), and Comoros (0 points), solidifying its status as favorites heading into this quarterfinal clash.
