"We actually need to believe we can take the title": Morocco coach after final league stage match win over Haiti
Atlanta, June 25
Following his side's win in the last league stage match of the FIFA World Cup, Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi pointed out that the team needs to believe that "they can take the title" and added they "have the ingredients to be the best nation".
The 2022 World Cup semifinalists continued their unbeaten run at the ongoing FIFA World Cup, finishing runners-up to Brazil on the basis of goal difference after a 4-2 win over Haiti in an entertaining clash on Thursday.
Speaking during the post-match presser, Ouahbi said as quoted by Reuters, "Morocco has entered a whole new dimension, and we are part of a new momentum where we actually need to believe we can take the title."
"How do we reach this objective? Well, again, as I said before, we need to be 100 per cent committed. Today, we have the best ingredients that are needed to become the best nation, and we believe we can do it; the players believe in it, the same for the staff," he added.
Ouahbi was disappointed at having finished as runners-up, but was not surprised by the fight shown by an already eliminated Haiti, which he said "had nothing to lose".
"We were looking for first spot in the group, but Haiti had nothing to lose and played a good transition game, so it was not an easy game for us," Ouahbi said.
"It was a game where we put up some very good stats and had a lot of chances, and I am very happy with all the players. We were on top of it throughout the game."
"But it was no surprise that Haiti would bring passion. They were always going to go all out and played with more freedom because they had already been eliminated," he continued.
As runners-up of Group C, they will play on Monday at Monterrey against the winner of Group F, which could be either Japan, the Netherlands or Sweden. However, the coach has no clear preference of who he wants as his opponents.
"I do not have any preference, and there is not much I can do about it anyway," added the coach.
"They are three teams with three different styles, and we will just have to be ready. This is the World Cup, and we came here for a reason, with a lot of ambition, and in the end, you have to play what is put in front of you," he signed off.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an Indian football fan, I'm watching Morocco's rise with so much inspiration. They've shown that African teams can challenge the traditional powerhouses. Coach Ouahbi's optimism is refreshing - "best ingredients to become the best nation" - love that confidence! Hope India can learn from their progress.
Haiti gave them a tough fight even after being eliminated - that's the spirit of football! Morocco needs to tighten their defense if they want to go all the way. But ya, the coach's belief is contagious. Maybe we need a similar mindset in our ISL teams too. 🇮🇳⚽
Morocco is clearly a team on the rise. But I'm a bit skeptical about "taking the title" talk - they still need to beat top-tier teams consistently. Their stats are impressive but performance in knockout stages matters more. Let's see if they can back up this confidence.
Love how the coach is building a winning mentality - "we came here for a reason, with a lot of ambition." That's exactly what separates champions from participants. No preference for opponents either - pure focus on their own game. Respect! 👏
Morocco's rise is phenomenal - from World Cup semifinalists to genuine title contenders. But let's be honest, they need to improve their finishing. Four goals against Haiti is good but they should have scored more with those chances. Coach is right about belief though - half the battle is in the mind. 🇲🇦🤞
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