On Monday in Rabat, Jorge Vilda, the coach of Morocco's women's national football team, expressed confidence that his squad is fully motivated to defeat Ghana in the semi-final of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN 2024), currently being held on Moroccan soil. The Atlas Lionesses are poised to deliver a stellar performance against Ghana, aiming to secure their place in the final, Vilda stated during a pre-match press conference at Rabat's Olympic Stadium, the venue for Tuesday's semi-final (8:00 PM). «As the tournament has progressed, the players have learned to manage the pressure and channel it into positive energy», he remarked, emphasizing that mental fortitude is the team's greatest strength. Vilda highlighted that the Moroccan team, which has been preparing intensively for two months, plans to capitalize on the support of the home crowd and the familiarity of the pitch to reach the final. «The players have exerted tremendous effort during the group stage, particularly against physically strong opponents», he acknowledged, while noting that Ghana is a formidable team with a fast-paced and cohesive style of play. Meanwhile, Moroccan player Ibtissam Jraidi noted that the match against Ghana will be fiercely contested, assuring that «the players are fully aware of the responsibility they bear». Jraidi, who was named the best player in the quarter-final victory over Mali (3-1), added, «Individual accolades are secondary; our main goal is to help the team win and advance to the final». On the other side, Ghana's coach, Kim Bjorkegren, described the match against Morocco as the toughest challenge for his team in this CAN, adding that his players face the added difficulty of overcoming fatigue from their quarter-final clash with Algeria. «We will fight for our chances, even though it will be tough against the Moroccans. We have studied their style and hope to come out on top», he stated. In the other semi-final, Nigeria will take on South Africa on Tuesday at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca (5:00 PM).
