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A comfortable 3-0 triumph for the Atlas Lions on Wednesday showed what they are capable of as protagonists.
Much was made before Morocco’s Africa Cup of Nations prospects before the Atlas Lions’ opener against Tanzania on Wednesday, and it is safe to posit that doubters were pleased by what they saw and observers tipping them for success are assured in those pre-tournament predictions.
The 2022 World Cup has elevated Walid Regragui’s side in the eye of the typical observer, with the North African nation’s run to the semi-finals shattering the glass ceiling for the continent at the global showpiece. This undoubtedly created an expectation that the Atlas Lions would dominate at AFCON 2023. But it is never that straightforward, especially at the continental showpiece.
Morocco may be favourites, but the different dynamics at both competitions were not considered.
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20:09 - 17.01.2024
Morocco send warning to rest of Africa with crushing victory in AFCON opener
High-flying Morocco began their AFCON 2023 campaign with an impressive 3-0 win over Tanzania.
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21:15 - 17.01.2024
Morocco stamps more misery to Tanzania's depressing record at AFCON finals
The Taifa Stars have now gone seven matches across three AFCON campaigns without victory.
How Morocco overachieved in Qatar
In Qatar, Regragui’s men were content soaking up pressure and playing on the counter-attack, trusting in their threat in those situations to hurt more high-profile opponents. They also utilised their set-piece threat at the finals and backed themselves on penalties against Spain, despite the 2010 champions having lots of practice before the World Cup.
The statistics authenticated the eye test: according to Fbref, Morocco’s average possession was 39%, the lowest among the semi-finalists — Argentina (57.4%), Croatia (54.3%) and France (51.3%) significantly outdid the North Africans — had the fourth-lowest touches per 90 in the attacking penalty area (12.6), strikingly less than Croatia (19.7), Argentina (20.9) and France (23.7), ranked third-bottom for touches in the middle third and were sixth for touches p/90 in their defensive third.
Unsurprisingly, Morocco kept more clean sheets (four) than the eventual winners (three), let in fewer goals (five) than Croatia (seven) and conceded one more shot on target (14) than the Albiceleste (13).
Regragui’s men thrived as underdogs at the World Cup in Qatar, raising expectations for a second African title for the perennial underachievers.
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How did Morocco fare against Tanzania?
The burning question some observers had about Morocco, this writer included, was focused on how the Atlas Lions would fare as protagonists. Wednesday’s 3-0 victory over the Taifa Stars offered a glimpse into Regragui’s approach when they take the game to the opposition.
Even though they seemed overly reliant on their right flank in the game’s opening half, utilising the threat of Achraf Hakimi from right-back, Hakim Ziyech as the wide playmaker on that flank, and Azzedine Ounahi drifting to that side to force overloads, the Atlas Lions’ seeming neglect of the other wing was ephemeral.
Doubting Thomases will undoubtedly state that Morocco’s first goal came from a set piece, while goals from Ounahi and Youssef En-Nesyri were scored after the Tanzanians were reduced to 10 men following Novatus Dismas’ second yellow, which is not wrong.
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However, the fact that the CAF National Team of the Year stifled Adel Amrouche’s side out of possession underscored this group’s ability to retain defensive organisation when playing on the front foot.
The North Africans pressed and counter-pressed effectively, especially in the opening half, forcing several high turnovers in their opening game at AFCON 2023. According to Opta, only four sides have outdone Morocco’s eight high turnovers, even if the Atlas Lions took no advantage of those situations, with none of those forced regains resulting in shots.
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06:36 - 12.01.2024
FOOTBALL Former Wolves defender sets the bar high for World Cup semi-finalists Morocco ahead of AFCON
The former Wolves defender has set the bar high for the World Cup semi-finalists at the upcoming 2023 AFCON.
Depending on where you stand, it was impressive that Regragui’s men showed different facets to their game on Wednesday, taking the game to their opponents in the first half and engaging the Tanzanians less after the break until the sending-off. It was by design, as highlighted by the CAF Coach of the Year after the game.
“At times in the second half, we accepted not having the ball and managed the game like a great team,” analysed Regragui after his side’s 3-0 success.
“We noticed many sides declined physically in the second half, so we prepared to stay fresh. Seeing their first matches allowed us to avoid the same mistakes.”
Dominating the ball is not alien to this group — the Lions averaged 63.3% possession in AFCON qualifying and fashioned 10 big chances in their four games — and could strive to create more high-value chances from open play as the tournament progresses. Tougher tests than Tanzania lie ahead for this group, who remain watertight at the back and pose obvious threats at the other end.
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20:52 - 11.01.2024
AFCON 2023: Morocco sweating under the weight of expectations after World Cup success
After impressing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Morocco are now under intense pressure to repeat the exceptional performance and win the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast
But having underachieved in recent editions — Morocco have not progressed beyond the quarterfinals since ending as runners-up in 2004 — observers believe this could be the Atlas Lions’ best chance of claiming a first African title since 1976.
Their defensive astuteness is recognised and respected, but showing they can be protagonists while retaining said organisation could be Regragui’s sternest challenge at AFCON 2023.
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