Morocco Coach Halilhodzic Optimistic Despite AFCON Quarter-Final Exit

3 February 2022 – byGinette · 1 min read

The much-anticipated press conference of coach Vahid Halilhodzic was held this Thursday, February 3, 2022, at the Mohammed VI Complex in Salé. The coach hinted that despite the elimination of the national team in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco’s run "was not that bad".

Morocco’s participation in the CAN was not just disappointment and sadness, Vahid Halilhodzic said on Thursday. "The defeat against Egypt hurt me. But I have to say that our run in the CAN was not bad. There were a lot of positive things. We have a young team and I am optimistic about the future of Moroccan football," he said.

In response to those who are outraged that Morocco fell to Egypt, he stressed that the Atlas Lions faced in the quarter-finals "an experienced team, the best in Africa. We learned a lot from this participation," he justified.

As for his tactical choices, which have been heavily criticized, the coach of the Atlas Lions said that all his players did their best to win, but the qualification was decided on small details. "I didn’t prepare a strategy to leave nothing to chance. For my choices, Munir El Haddadi was ready and enthusiastic and made a great effort against Egypt. Boufal, I took him out because he was tired and lost all his duels in the 2nd half."