The coach of the national U20 football team, Mohamed Ouahbi, stated on Thursday evening in Cairo that the victory against Kenya (3-2) on the first matchday of Group B of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN 2025) in Egypt was «well-deserved» given his players' strong performance. Speaking at a post-match press conference, Ouahbi expressed his satisfaction with the performance of the Atlas Cubs in this match, highlighting their superiority in terms of possession and shots on target. He emphasized the importance of this victory to start the continental competition on the right foot, praising the team spirit of the players. The only downside, he added, was the injuries to Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal and Yassir Zibari, who scored twice in this match. Regarding the Kenyan team, the national coach noted that he was surprised by their level, pointing out that they are a tactically organized and disciplined team with good players in their ranks. Commenting on the prominence of Moroccan football, Ouahbi highlighted that under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, Morocco has been committed for several years to the development of national football. Emphasizing the efforts of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), under the presidency of Fouzi Lekjaa, he noted that all resources have been made available to honor national football in various competitions, applauding the achievements in infrastructure and foundational work in academies and clubs, which bodes well for a bright future for Moroccan football. He pointed out that the Mohammed VI Football Academy, a benchmark model in football training, supplies the various national teams with talented players, and he also highlighted the role of Moroccan clubs in player development. On the second day of the group stage, Morocco will face Nigeria on Sunday. They will then play against Tunisia on Wednesday, May 7, for the third and final matchday.
