Morocco have been boosted by fanatical home support at the 2022 TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and their coach Reynald Pedros says they will not lack desire and motivation when they face Botswana in Rabat tonight with a FIFA World Cup spot on the line.
“We have one goal, it’s at least to get to the semi finals. We have been building up to this goal for more than a year now and today we are in the position we expected. We finished first in our group stage and we are now in the quarter-finals. I think what is not necessary is to put negative pressure on the players. On the contrary, I think we have to work, we have to reassure them about the potential of our team. Reassuring the players is what we have already done since the beginning of the WAFCON. So, it must be an additional motivation, it must be something very positive to be able to go for this semi final,” said the boss Atlas Lionesses boss ahead of tonight’s big game at the imposing Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex.
To achieve their goal, Pedros says they have no magic wand, other than to show the energy, desire and work rate they have displayed thus far in the tournament.
“The guarantees are the work, it is to rely on everything we did well during the group stages and to continue to produce good play, to continue to perform on the set pieces in particular and then to qualify for the semi-finals. The tournament does not stop at the semi finals though. We have the ambition if we qualify to go as far as possible, so that’s why we will play this match with a lot of desire and determination, just as we have done in every game so far in order to reach the semi-finals for the first time,” says Pedros.
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Morocco midfielder, Elodie Nakkach, shares the view that the team will apply tonight all the positives that have worked well for them since the start of the tournament.
“What we also did during the preparation is put in a lot of work, concentration and seriousness. If we produce our football, there is no reason why we should not make it to the semi finals. So, we are going to give it our all. The team knows the goal and we are all together behind the same goal, qualification for the World Cup, and then we will see after the quarter final match,” says Nakkach.
Pedros is happy that his team is well rested after the group stage and that “everyone is fit, everyone is ready, and we have prepared for the match against Botswana with a lot of ambitions.”
Expectations and excitement from the host nation is at fever pitch, tonight should be a rousing affair in Rabat.
Kickoff is at 21h00 local time tonight.
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