Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has taken “full responsibility” of his nation’s failure to beat Bafana Bafana in the Last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Atlas Lions were one of the big favourites going into the tournament after reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup saw them soar into first place among the CAF teams in the FIFA rankings.
However, as the thread of the giant killing at this year’s tournament continued, South Africa defied the odds and sent Morocco packing with a 2-0 on Tuesday night.
“The match could have been decided in the first half, but at this level, every missed opportunity is immediately punished,” Regragui said as per Kingfut.
“We tried in the end and were awarded a penalty, but we missed it. It could have equalized the score and brought us back into the game, but the penalty miss hurt us a lot.
“Certainly, we did not do what was required, and we lacked some things. I take full responsibility.
“The players gave everything and executed the instructions, and we will learn from the unexpected failure. We came with great humility, but today we must accept that we failed in our mission.
“It’s a great disappointment for our fans who supported us in the tournament, and helped us a lot, and today, this failure is mine to bear as a coach.”
