Morocco - Tanzania: Win or Suffer a "National Catastrophe

The equation is simple but terrifying: "The trophy or the disaster". After finishing first in Group A with two wins (Comoros, Zambia) and a draw against Mali, the Atlas Lions are now getting to the heart of the matter. But the specter of past failures looms over Rabat. The early eliminations at the same stage of the competition, against Benin in 2019 and then against South Africa in the last edition, still haunt the memories.

On paper, the imbalance is total. Morocco, the 11th best nation in the world, is facing Tanzania, ranked 112th, miraculously qualified with only two points. The history of the confrontations (7 Moroccan wins in 8 matches) also speaks in favor of the hosts. Yet, this is precisely where the danger lies. "Overconfidence is a trap," warns sports journalist Ali Salah Eddine. Especially since the Tanzania coach, Miguel Angel Gamondi, knows Moroccan football well and could have tactical surprises in store.

Aware of this risk, Walid Regragui hammered his message in the press conference: "This is the AFCON of humility. If we haven’t won in 50 years, it’s precisely because we’ve lacked humility at certain times." The coach wants to avoid his players having "big heads" at all costs and demands maximum concentration to leave no chance to the opponent.

In the streets as in the media, the tension is palpable. For Firdaous El Harch, a journalist at SNRT, quoted by RMC, the stakes go beyond the simple sporting framework: "If we lose, it’s a national catastrophe. It’s been 50 years since we were African champions, this is the moment or never." With a full squad (return of Saïss and Hakimi) and the unconditional support of the "12th man", Morocco has no more excuses. They must win, and in style if possible, to continue dreaming of the title that has eluded them since 1976.