Oujda: Morocco’s national coach Walid Regragui said that patience and perseverance helped the national team achieve results, clinching an outstanding win against Lesotho (7-0) on Monday evening in Oujda for the 6th and final matchday of the African Cup of Nations 2025 qualifiers.

According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, Regragui congratulated all players, highlighting that six wins in as many games is not easy, especially with 26 goals scored. He acknowledged the challenges after the last AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, stating that the team accepted criticism and continued working diligently. Regragui expressed his pleasure for the players’ performance.

He emphasized the importance of mindset, noting that players respected both soccer and the opposing team. Regragui mentioned the first half of the game as being better played than the second, where the pace dropped. He also praised the use of a set-piece specialist, describing set-pieces as future ‘weapons’.

Despite the large scoreline, Regragui expressed concerns
about managing game highs, stressing the need to avoid technical errors and maintain game respect. He applauded the competition within the team, noting the strong performance of bench players and the difficult choices ahead.

Regragui described Brahim Diaz, who scored a hat-trick, as a ‘natural leader’, capable of finding solutions and becoming more effective in key areas. He emphasized the need for unity and confidence to aspire for the next AFCON trophy and future World Cup qualifiers.

The Atlas Lions secured their win with contributions from Brahim Diaz (5′, 15′, 42′), Sofiane Rahimi (37′, 45’+2 penalty), Youssef En-Nesyri (68′), and Ismael Saibari (70′). The team finished top of their group with 18 points from 6 wins, surpassing Gabon (10 pts), who also qualified for the next AFCON.