Morocco Olympic Coach Sektioui Vows to Rebound After Ukraine Defeat

Tarik Sektioui, the coach of the Moroccan Olympic team, expressed his "great disappointment" after the defeat of the Atlas Lions against Ukraine on Saturday in Saint-Étienne. He hopes for a victory against Iraq next Tuesday to qualify for the round of 16 of the Olympic tournament.
"I feel a great disappointment after the defeat we suffered and which we do not deserve after the high level we showed in the second half," Sektiouti said at the post-match press conference against Ukraine on Saturday.
And to add: "We created many scoring opportunities, but we lacked the finishing touch, so we will turn the page on this match and start thinking seriously about the next match against Iraq, where we will go to Nice." The match against Iraq is "crucial for us in order to make this great Moroccan crowd who supports us during our matches happy," continued the coach of the Moroccan Olympic team.
After a precious victory over Argentina (2-1) last Tuesday, Achraf Hakimi and his teammates stumbled on Saturday against a tough Ukrainian team who opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. Soufiane Rahimi’s equalizing goal on a penalty in the 64th minute did not allow Sektiouti’s men to prevail, despite the numerical inferiority of the opposing team, conceding a second goal in the 8th minute of added time.
With this defeat, Morocco finds itself in a delicate situation. It has three points, like Ukraine, Argentina and Iraq. The Atlas Lions must absolutely win the match against Iraq next Tuesday in Nice to secure their ticket for the round of 16 of the Olympic tournament.
Related Articles
-
Hidden Camera Scandal Rocks Moroccan Youth Soccer: Minors’ Privacy Violated in Locker Room
25 June 2025
-
Ziyech Eyes AFCON 2025 Comeback: Morocco’s Prodigal Son Seeks Redemption
24 June 2025
-
Underdog Wydad Casablanca Seeks Redemption Against Juventus in Club World Cup Showdown
22 June 2025
-
Franco-Moroccan Runner Shatters 22-Year-Old French Record in Stunning 1500m Victory
21 June 2025
-
Rising Star Ayoub Bourass Set to Ignite Glory 101 in Featherweight Showdown
21 June 2025