The African Cup U20 started well for the national selection. Opposed to KenyaThursday, on the occasion of the group B first match, the protégés of Mohamed Ouahbi met in front of an enthusiastic and daring team, determined to create surprise. From the first minutes of this match, the Atlas lion cubs tried to find the flaw by putting pressure on the Kenyan defense, but without succeeding in making their actions concretize. Against the course of the game, it was the Harambee Stars who ended up finding the breach, thanks to the goal of the head scored by Lawrence Ouma (16th).
Shaken by this opening of the score, the Moroccans redoubled their efforts to try to equalize. A return to parity which took place in the additional time of the first period with a goal from Yassir Zabiri, a goal contested at the beginning, but ultimately validated by the Var. Upon returning from the locker room, the national team raised the tone to make the break. Zabiri, again, distinguished himself again by signing a second goal from the head to close range, giving for the first time the advantage to the lion cubs (55th). A short -term joy, since the players of Salim Babu managed to equalize a few minutes later through Hassan Beja (71st). It was finally Reda Laalaoui who released his teammates by planting the goal of victory in the 78ᵉ minute.
Mohamed Ouahbi intends to correct his team’s mistakes before the shock against Nigeria
The national coach U20, Mohamed Ouahbi, welcomed his players’ victory against Kenya, while admitting that there were still axes to improve. Speaking at the post-match conference, the 48-year-old said that the only boredom of the meeting was the injuries of Zabiri and Aït Boudlal. “The only negative points at the end of the first day are the injury of Zabiti and that of Aït Boudlal. Everything else, we will correct it, because I am confident and I know my players. What we have to improve the most is the mental side. We felt that there were defense players who lacked confidence and maturity to take out the ball well. We are happy with this victory against Kenya. Three points to start, it’s very important: I have not yet seen, since the start of the competition, a team that stands out or that impresses. We know very well that we will have to grow in the competition, provided that we learn from our mistakes and continue to improve us, “analyzed the coach of the lion cubs.
The injuries of Zabiri and Aït Boudlal worry
Released on a stretcher after scoring the second goal for Morocco, Yassir Zabiri could miss the call this Sunday against Nigeria. His teammate, Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal, also contracted an injury during the match against Kenya. After the match, the national coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, said that in -depth examinations would be done to determine the nature of his two players. Ouahbi revealed that Iclap had felt the adductors’ pain, while Zabiri was injured in the ankle.
