Rabat: Morocco’s national head coach Jorge Vilda said Sunday in Rabat that the women’s team seeks to win Monday’s match against Senegal, scheduled for 9 p.m. at Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, in order to finish atop the group and secure a spot in the quarterfinals.

According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of the third and final matchday of Group A, Vilda emphasized that “the national team players are aware of this crucial face-off’s importance for qualification and seeding,” adding that “this fixture is like a mini-final against a team we know well.”

He noted that “we’re going to play as well as we possibly can to achieve a good result,” explaining that “the focus will be on countering the threat posed by Senegal, which excels at counterattacks, quick transitions, and set pieces.”

“Morocco is a team that has evolved and is capable of making a difference on the field,” he assured, noting that the players are ready to give their all to advance in the competi
tion.

National team player Sakina Ouzraoui, for her part, placed value on support from the Moroccan public in securing victory, noting that it forms a major source of motivation for winning matches.

“We’ve played against Senegal before, but tomorrow’s match will be different,” she said, noting that “teams evolve year on year, and we’re going to do our very best to win.”

She explained that “we’re determined to handle this match well because we haven’t secured qualification yet,” adding that “this Africa Cup of Nations is tight because even with 6 points, we haven’t qualified for the next round yet, which means we need to stay fully focused on our performance and our play to create game-changing opportunities against Senegal.”

Morocco leads Group A with 6 points, followed by Algeria (3 pts), Senegal (3 pts), and Kenya (0 pts).