Morocco’s AFCON Hopes High as Former Coach Zaki Backs Team Amid COVID Challenges

In an interview with SRNT News, the iconic Moroccan goalkeeper estimated that Vahid Halilhodzic’s protégés are capable of achieving the feat in this competition which, he regrets, promises to be "complicated due to the current context marked by the spread of Covid-19".

Based on the various performances of the Moroccan team in recent months, the member of the National Technical Directorate estimated that the Atlas Lions are going to Cameroon with the ambition to achieve an exceptional success and offer Morocco a second AFCON title, after the one won in 1976.

For him, "the national team has all the capacities to go as far as possible in this AFCON and even win the title," said Zaki, adding that "it has shown beautiful things during the AFCON and World Cup qualifiers, especially in attack (14 goals scored)".

However, defensively, the former Moroccan international pointed out that the coach still has work to do on this point. "A team that wants to go all the way in a competition like the AFCON will first have to have a solid defense," he warned. And to add: "I think Vahid is aware of this. Recently, Morocco has faced less offensive teams but who have a bit disturbed our defense".

It should be noted that Group C, considered "accessible" by Zaki, will take the field this Monday with a Morocco-Ghana match. The Lions will follow up their second game against the Comoros on January 14, before closing this group stage against Gabon on January 18.