2024-07-25 10:48:12
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the final of the African Futsal Cup of Nations (Morocco-2024) scheduled for Sunday against Angola, Hicham Dguig explained that “we are focused on the final and aware of the responsibility we must assume. The final match is completely different from the other matches and our opponent showed their level of play against Egypt, but we are fully ready to face them and win the title.”
“The average age of the Angolan players is in their favour and they are a reference in the futsal discipline. It should be remembered that Morocco was eliminated by Angola in the Youth Olympic Games in 2018, which means that this country has a solid base in this discipline,” he said, adding that Angola also has professional players who play in Portugal, one of the best futsal schools in the world.
“For the final, the players do not need to be motivated by the staff because they know what is at stake in this match. The most important thing in this type of match is to work on the technical and tactical details that will make the difference,” he said.
Regarding the condition of Youssef Jouad, who went off injured against Libya, Hicham Dguig said that “we do not yet have a definitive diagnosis which will be known after the healing of his knee edema which prevents us from knowing exactly the extent of his injury. But the most important thing is that the player has a strong mentality and I think he will be back with the group for the World Cup.”
The captain of the Atlas Lions, Soufian El Mesrar, for his part, indicated that “we have ensured qualification for the World Cup and we will play for everything in the final against Angola to secure the continental title for the 3rd consecutive time.”
“Angola’s game, which put in a good performance against Egypt, has improved considerably since the start of the competition,” he noted.
He added that “we won against Angola in the group stage, but in the final it will be another team, another motivation and another challenge for which we are ready.”
Angola coach Marcos Antunes said that “we are motivated to play the final against Morocco. We will try to create difficulties for Morocco and this final match will certainly be different from the opening match, because a final is made to be won.”
“We have achieved our objective of qualifying for the World Cup, but we hope to win the continental title for the first time in our history,” he stressed.
“This kind of match against one of the best teams in the world also allows us to develop, because it is by facing the best that we also become better,” he declared, praising the high level of the organization of this edition of the CAN futsal by Morocco “which put all the means at our disposal to play this competition in the best possible conditions.”
Morocco qualified for the final at the expense of Libya (6-0), while Angola got the better of Egypt (7-3).
2024-07-25 10:48:12