The players struggled well to the end against a tough Malian team, to finally punch their ticket for the final of the CAN U23 football, synonymous with qualification for the next Olympic Games, welcomed the national coach Issam Charaï , Tuesday in Rabat.
“We must not forget that Mali is a strong team. The players struggled well until the end, ”said Issam Charaï during the post-match conference.
“I congratulate the players, the match was very difficult, we knew that Mali is tough. The most important thing is the victory, we have achieved the first objective, namely the qualification for the Olympics. Certainly, there are things to correct, but it is to be discussed later, “said the technician.
“We started the match well and we scored a goal. We had to continue our momentum, but the Malians started to play in depth. We tried a few tactical changes, but ended up conceding the equalizer. Our mistake was playing behind, which gave them more confidence,” he explained.
For his part, the coach of Mali Badra Alou Diallo indicated that it was a good match, marked by a good performance by both teams and good football.
“The young people gave their best. But we lacked concentration. There was also fatigue, due to late preparation. We also lost essential elements, injured during the match, ”he said.
“Congratulations to Morocco and good luck for the final”. “On our side, we will repair the next match, which will be difficult, because we lost important elements to injury and we played extra time today,” he said.
In the final, scheduled for Saturday in Rabat, the Moroccan team will face the Egyptian Olympic selection, which qualified after its victory against Guinea by 1 goal to 0 (half-time 1-0), in the after – noon, at the Grand Stade de Tanger.
The first three in the ranking of the 2023 edition of the CAN U23 will win their tickets for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The fourth will also be able to participate, but will have to go through an intercontinental play-off against an Asian nation.
Morocco has already participated seven times in the Olympic Games football tournament (1964, 1972, 1984, 1992, 2000, 2004, 2012) and its best performance was in 1972 when it reached the 2nd round.