This Afcon failure is mine to bear as a coach, says Morocco boss Regragui
FOR Morocco coach Walid Regragui, being handed a four-match touchline ban, with two of the matches suspended, may have been the lowest point of his Africa Cup of Nations campaign, but then in walked Bafana Bafana.
Having topped their group with two wins and a draw, Morocco prepared for a less-fancied South Africa with a bounce in their step.
The early exits of nations like Egypt and Cameroon, as well as defending champions Senegal, saw the Atlas Lions emerge as clear favourites to lift their second Afcon title.
Ahead of their round of 16 clash with Bafana, Regragui expressed his deep respect for a united Hugo Broos team and the influence of Mamelodi Sundowns players.
“I respect your team, your national team, and what I said about Sundowns is that your team has more than seven players playing for Sundowns.
“But (Bafana) is a different team, with a different spirit.
“It’s the same as the last time I said in Joburg when we lost – it’s a different team, different spirit, different competition,” he said.
His worst nightmare did come through at perhaps the wrong time for Morocco as Orlando Pirates’ Evidence Makgopa scored the opener on Tuesday night, before Sundowns’ Tebogo Mokoena sealed the win late on.
The No 1-ranked nation in the CAF rankings were hit with an unexpected inspired performance from Bafana, who sealed their second win in a row over Morocco, with star player Achraf Hakimi also missing a penalty.
“We made many technical errors and lacked patience in the build-up play.
“We were in a lot of rush and had few opportunities,” Regragui told beIN Sports.
“The match could have been decided in the first half, but at this level, every missed opportunity is immediately punished.
“We tried in the end and were awarded a penalty, but we missed it. It could have equalised the score and brought us back into the game, but the penalty miss hurt us a lot.
“Certainly, we did not do what was required, and we lacked some things. I take full responsibility.
“The players gave everything and executed the instructions, and we will learn from the unexpected failure. We came with great humility, but today, we must accept that we failed in our mission.
“It’s a great disappointment for our fans who supported us in the tournament and helped us a lot, and today, this failure is mine to bear as a coach.”
The north African nation will continue their 48-year wait for an Afcon title, with a huge chunk of their ‘golden generation’ still able to compete when they host the tournament next year.
Having taken Morocco to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup and already leading their group to qualify for the next one in 2026, Regragui is expected to continue to lead the Atlas Lions in the coming years.