Sektioui: “A Well-Deserved Qualification” – Belammari Praises the Fighting Spirit of the Atlas Lions
Morocco’s Local Team Coach Praises Hard-Fought Qualification for AFCON 2024 Final
Tarik Sektioui, the coach of Morocco’s local players’ selection, declared that Morocco’s qualification for the final of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) was well-deserved, following an intense match against Senegal that ended in a penalty shootout victory (5-3).
"We can be proud of this qualification, achieved against a well-organized Senegalese team that is solid defensively and very dangerous in attack," Sektioui stated in the post-match press conference in Kampala. He praised the players’ determination despite their exhaustion, noting that the substitutions made in the second half helped the team regain stability and better control the game.
The Moroccan coach also acknowledged that the match’s start was challenging: "The beginning was not satisfactory, but we managed to respond quickly by making the necessary adjustments." He emphasized the remarkable performance of goalkeeper El Mehdi El Harrar, whom he described as a key player throughout the tournament.
Meanwhile, Youssef Belammari, named the match’s best player, highlighted the team’s fighting spirit: "The entire team delivered a great performance against a tough opponent. This qualification is the result of collective effort and a strong desire to win," he said.
Belammari added that the group was aware that Senegal, the defending champion, would come out with great intensity: “But we showed greater determination and earned this victory.”
Morocco will face Madagascar in the final this Saturday at 4:00 PM in Nairobi, while Senegal and Sudan will compete for third place on Friday, following Sudan’s 1-0 defeat against Madagascar.
