Morocco head coach Tarik Sektioui has vowed that his team is fully focused on winning a third CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) title.
Sektioui told Xinhua on Monday that after advancing from the group stage and eliminating co-host Tanzania in the quarterfinals, Morocco is determined to go all the way.
“We know it is not going to be easy facing the defending champion Senegal at the semifinal stage, but we are well prepared and know what to expect,” said Sektioui.
The coach, himself a former national team player, emphasized that his squad is committed and motivated. “I have told the players that our target is nothing but taking the title home,” he added.
Morocco, champion in 2018 and 2020, is seeking a third title after missing the 2023 edition due to political differences with host Algeria, which was forced to withdraw.
“We went back to the drawing board after losing a group match against Kenya, and the players know what I expect of them now. Facing Tanzania in their own backyard with so many fans was not easy, but we executed our plan to perfection and will do the same in the semis,” Sektioui said.
Morocco began its CHAN 2024 campaign with a 2-0 win over Angola in Group A, before suffering a 1-0 defeat to co-host Kenya. The team bounced back strongly with successive 3-1 victories over Zambia and DR Congo to finish second in the group. In the quarterfinals, it edged Tanzania 1-0.
The Atlas Lions are the tournament’s highest-scoring side so far, with nine goals in five matches. It now faces a Senegal team that is unbeaten in the competition and knocked out Uganda 1-0 in the last eight.
The semifinals will be played on August 26, with Morocco taking on Senegal at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, Uganda, while Sudan faces Madagascar at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Tanzania.
The CHAN tournament is reserved for players competing in their countries’ domestic leagues. Enditem
Source: Xinhua
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