Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has credited his team’s “huge effort” and unity with the fans for their dramatic victory over Nigeria in Wednesday night’s Africa Cup of Nations semi-final.
The Atlas Lions booked their place in the final after a tense 0-0 draw that stretched into extra time, before they prevailed 4-2 in a penalty shootout. Nigeria’s Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi both missed from the spot, sealing Morocco’s passage to the final on home soil.
Speaking after the match, Regragui highlighted the resilience shown by his players and the role played by the Moroccan supporters in pushing the team over the line.
“We suffered a lot throughout the match, and reaching the AFCON final on home soil is a beautiful gift,” he said.
The Moroccan coach also acknowledged the physical toll of the encounter, stressing the need for swift recovery ahead of the final.
“Now we must think about physical recovery quickly because we made a huge effort. We played extra time, the match was difficult, and it consumed a lot of energy,” Regragui added.
Regragui went on to praise Nigeria and their head coach, Eric Chelle, for their performance in the tournament.
“I congratulate the Nigerian national team and coach Eric Chelle for the great work they’ve done, and I also extend my congratulations to our players and fans, because we all fought together for this victory without exception.”
