Skip to main content

AFCON 2023: Walid Regragui disappointed after South Africa’s upset

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson
Highly respected Moroccan coach Walid Regradui, 48, has expressed his disappointment over his team after they’re being knocked out of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 by South Africa on Tuesday. Beyond the expectations of many, the match which saw an enticingly competitive first half that ended goalless took a different turn in the 57th-minute forward Evidence Makgopa strike from the 18-yard box and slotted the ball into the right corner of the Atlas Lions igniting celebrations for the Bafana Bafana fans. The goal saw the Moroccan coach introducing new players to furnish his team’s attack adding pressure on the opponents until they won a penalty in the 83rd-minute when they were awarded a penalty after VAR review that found that the ball had hit the hand of Teboho Mokoena in the South African 18-yard box, but Morocco’s star man Achraf Hakimi thunderous strike from the penalty fly over the crossbar. After Hakimi failed to convert the penalty to a goal, South Africa doubled their search for a second goal, resulting in Morocco's Sofyan Amrabat being sent off by referee Mahamood Ishmail for a reckless challenge, and a free-kick awarded to Bafana Bafana. Without a doubt, 27-year-old determined Bafana Bafana forward Teboho Mokoena brilliantly took the free-kick which sealed his team’s 2-0 win over Morocco to easily progress to the quarterfinals where they will meet Cape Verde at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium in Yamoussoukro this Saturday to continue their hunt for a second AFCON since their 1996 glory. However, 48-year-old Regradui whose team, Morocco was tipped as one of the favourites to win the on-going AFCON following their history made in the FIFA World Cup 2022 where they reached the semi-finals, becoming the first African nation to do so, became the fifth top ranked African team after Senegal, Tunisia and Egypt. For the 48-year-old coach, the defeat to Bafana Bafana is a disappointment to him and their supporters. “I’m disappointed for our supporters who deserved better. For myself, I felt we were supposed to win every match to win the AFCON but that didn’t happen. “Yes, we fought with all our might on the day, until the end we lost and our dream to clinch the 2023 AFCON title has come to a disappointing end. I hope my players, especially the younger ones will learn from this defeat to South Africa,” he advised.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Senegal, first African team to beat England, but not first to score three goals

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson Claim: Soccer World HQ, in a Facebook post , claimed that Senegal is the first African team to beat England and the first to score three goals against them. Verdict: Partly True! Senegal is the first African team to beat England, but not the first to score three goals against them. Full Text The England senior men’s national football team, nicknamed the “Three Lions,” played their first match against Scotland in 1872. That match ended goalless but marked the beginning of an intense soccer rivalry between both nations, dubbed the “Auld Enemy.” Since 1872-2025, the England national team has achieved its 1000-game milestone in November 2019 when they played Montenegro at the Wembley Stadium. England's all-time head-to-head record shows that they’ve played a whopping 1072 matches against 100 countries, won 615 games, drew 255, and lost 200. Senegal, on the other hand, is one of Africa’s most famous football nations, nicknamed the “Lions of Teranga.” In 2002, ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sierra Leone, Two other Nations disqualified from AFCON 2024 U17 Qualifiers

By: Abdulrahman Barrie The U17 football teams from Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Guinea Bissau have been disqualified from the 2024 U17 African Cup of Nations competition in Senegal after failing the mandatory MRI test scans. These scans, which determine the age of the players, revealed discrepancies that led to their removal from the tournament. The disqualification follows changes to Article 27.4 of the U17 Africa Cup of Nations regulations, which have tightened the criteria and enforcement of age verification measures. The updated rules stipulate that if a team has more than four players deemed ineligible after the MRI eligibility test, the entire team will be disqualified. The MRI tests, used to enforce age restrictions in youth competitions, are crucial for ensuring fairness. Unfortunately, the teams from these three nations did not meet the age criteria, resulting in their disqualification. This decision has come as a significant disappointment for the young players and their fans, w...
Post a Comment
Read more

Makeni Medical Mission Brings Hope and Healing to Bombali District

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson Residents of the Asker Amputee Camp in Makeni City, including various war victims, are rejoicing over the inauguration of the Makeni Medical Mission health facility, established by philanthropist, author, and pastor Mr. Bambay Sawaneh, alongside his partners in the United States. This newly launched medical facility, comprising 11 treatment rooms, was developed with the support of Southeastern Medical International (SMI) and the Concord Christian Church. Their mission is to deliver compassionate healthcare and a range of medical services to the people of Bombali District and surrounding areas, with a particular focus on war victims and vulnerable families living in the Asker Amputee Camp at Robureh. At the official opening ceremony in Makeni city, a team of 10 medical missionaries from Southeastern Medical International, including Sheila Yates, a seasoned medical missionary with two decades of experience in the US, provided free medical care to 100 individuals,...
Post a Comment
Read more