Morocco coach Walid Regragui on Thursday sought to ease some of the pressure on his team ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final clash with Cameroon, suggesting that the visitors may face even more at stake.
The tournament hosts are favourites to lift the trophy, benefiting from home advantage and their status as Africa’s highest-ranked team in the FIFA world rankings. However, this expectation brings significant pressure, contrasting with Cameroon’s journey to the last eight, which came despite a turbulent build-up, including a coaching change just weeks before their opening match.
Regragui also pointed to history: the last time Morocco hosted the Cup of Nations in 1988, their hopes were ended in the semi-finals by Roger Milla’s Cameroon in Casablanca.
“The reality is that Cameroon have generally been Morocco’s bête noire. They have often come here and won. But that was in the past. We are the new Morocco, so what happened then no longer matters,” Regragui said on the eve of Friday’s match.
He added that Cameroon’s failure to qualify for the upcoming World Cup gives them more to lose than Morocco, who will have another major competition in four months.
“The reality now is that Cameroon are on form, and this is their competition because they have everything to lose. If they go no further, they will have to wait two or three more years for another major tournament,” he said.
“We also have something to lose because we are at home, but in four months we have the World Cup, so we have another competition to play. That is why Cameroon will be motivated more than usual. There is pressure on us, but on them too.”
Team Updates
Regragui confirmed that Lille striker Hamza Igamane is fit again after injury, though midfield lynchpin Sofyan Amrabat is still struggling with an ankle issue, and veteran defender Romain Saiss is not fully fit.
Captain Achraf Hakimi, who played his first full match of the tournament in Morocco’s narrow last-16 win against Tanzania, is expected to start.
“Achraf hadn’t played 90 minutes in almost two months. He played very well against Tanzania, but we have not yet seen Achraf at his best. Hopefully we will tomorrow,” Regragui said of the African Player of the Year, who suffered an ankle injury with Paris Saint-Germain in early November.
Regragui also praised Cameroonian coach David Pagou for his calm approach, which has helped guide a young side through the group stage and past South Africa in the last 16.
“We are playing the host nation, a top side with really good individuals as well as a collective that works well together,” Pagou said.
“Morocco have not lost at home in a very long time, so that is an extra source of motivation.”
Friday’s quarter-final promises a high-stakes clash between a confident host nation and a motivated Cameroon side seeking to extend their remarkable tournament run.
