Morocco Appeals Coach Regragui’s CAF Suspension Amid AFCON Controversy

"Walid Regragui has contributed a lot to African football and defends Moroccan and continental football, our work is complementary. It’s as if he was with us today on the substitutes’ bench, because we have received instructions from him, and you know the relationship I have with him," Benmahmoud said after Morocco’s 1-0 victory over Zambia.

He added: "It is difficult for Regragui to say bad things [...], and personally, I know what happened, because I was present, it was the player who provoked us... We respect the CAF’s decision, and we will use all means to restore our rights. The Moroccan federation will do everything possible to achieve this."

For the assistant coach of the Moroccan national team, the Atlas Lions suffer from "a lack of offensive efficiency" that will have to be corrected to ensure victory in the next matches. "We have to work on turning easy chances into goals without conceding any, as this will help us in the competition," he explained.

Benmahmoud and the Atlas Lions are already preparing for the round of 16 match against South Africa, scheduled for next Tuesday at 9pm at the Laurent Pokou stadium in San Pedro. "The South African team is always present with us in the qualifications, we recently faced them and they beat us, it is a good team but the next match is completely different," said Regragui’s assistant.