On the eve of Morocco–Zambia in Rabat, Hoalid Regragui sought to close the chapter on the draw against Mali by bringing everyone back to the primary objective. “We will continue on our path. Our goal is to finish first in our group,” he emphasized, as the Atlas Lions still need to secure their position in a very tight Group A.
In recent days, the coach also had to address topics that have fueled discussions, particularly regarding his defensive line. In response to rumors about Nayef Aguerd, he was direct: “Who told you that Aguerd is injured? He is training normally and has no issues,” while confirming that Romain Saïss is unavailable due to a muscle problem. In the same exchange, he also provided insight into his management of Achraf Hakimi’s situation: “Hakimi is doing well, and we will make the best decision for him.”
After the Mali match, Regragui expressed a sense of frustration, while framing it within a logic of progression. “We have a chance to recover Achraf Hakimi for the knockout matches, but we will see if he can play against Zambia,” he explained, adding that the draw is “frustrating” but “will serve for the rest of the competition.” This serves as a reminder that the key now lies in Morocco’s ability to ramp up before the knockout phase.
Finally, the coach wanted to protect his young talents, particularly Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal, whom he describes as a “great talent.” “We must not rush the player,” he insisted, acknowledging a gradual approach to his use (“we will use him at the right moment”), while warning about the difficulty of the upcoming match: “It will be a tough match against a solid team.” The stage is set: against Zambia, Morocco must win to secure first place and deliver a convincing performance on the field.
