«The players gave everything to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)», said Mohamed Ouahbi, coach of Morocco's under-20 football team, on Sunday in Cairo. He added that the team's focus must now shift to the upcoming World Cup in Chile. Speaking at a press conference following the 1-0 defeat to South Africa in the final, Ouahbi noted that while the Moroccan side created several scoring opportunities, they lacked finishing efficiency. «The players are disappointed. They were determined to win the title, but luck wasn't on our side», he said, while praising his squad's overall performance throughout the tournament. Ouahbi emphasized that the Moroccan team is full of promising young talent with the potential to make their mark in the future. He stressed the importance of now concentrating on the challenges ahead. Meanwhile, South Africa's coach, Raymond Mdaka, acknowledged that the final was «very tough» against a strong Moroccan side. He expressed satisfaction with his team's performance throughout the tournament, with the exception of their loss to Egypt in the group stage. Third place went to Nigeria, who beat Egypt 4-1 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in regular time. All four semi-finalists—Morocco, South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt—have qualified for the U20 World Cup, set to take place in Chile from September 27 to October 19.
