RABAT, Morocco (AP) – Morocco coach Walid Leglaghi expects the African Cup of Nations semi-finals to be a spectacular match in which the continent’s best four teams can clinch the title, and says better conditions will lead to fewer upsets in the future.
Morocco will face Nigeria in the second semi-final on Wednesday, after Senegal takes on seven-time champions Egypt in a repeat of the 2021 final.
Legragui’s team reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, but had a disappointing result at the last African Cup in Ivory Coast. Since Morocco won their only African Cup title in 1976, they are under immense pressure to win the tournament as hosts and end a 50-year wait.
Morocco will be co-hosting the 2030 World Cup. embarked on a huge expense Modernizing the Kingdom’s sports facilities, stadiums and infrastructure, deepening the expectations of Moroccans, many of whom deep reservations Regarding the investment scale.
But Leguraghi can only concentrate on the field and is looking forward to an exhibition on Wednesday in which the continent’s best teams and players will compete in ideal conditions.
“Good stadium, good field, good climate, and the players we should get in the semi-finals are Salah, Ballon d’Or, Hakimi, Ballon d’Or, Lookman, Ballon d’Or, Osimhen, Ballon d’Or, Mane, Ballon d’Or,” Leglaghi said, referring to all the African Player of the Year awards he has won so far. “This means we have the best African players in recent years.”
He added that Nigeria have reached the final 17 times, “Egypt always gets the ticket and is always there”, adding that 2021 winners Senegal are one of the “best, if not the best” teams in Africa in recent years.
Legulagi said the level of soccer is at its best in North Africa because of its cool winters.
“In the last African Cup (Côte d’Ivoire), we played against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and we had to play from 1:30 p.m. in the heat of 40 degrees Celsius and 80 percent humidity. It’s certainly difficult to win a game,” Legulagui said. “Today we gave the conditions for the best team to play their best football.”
What is the temperature in San Pedro, Ivory Coast? Actually 32 ℃ (90 F) When the match that Regulagi mentioned started.
Legulagi predicted better conditions would mean more competition between evenly matched teams, fewer upsets and more spectacle instead.
“We will be able to sell the rights abroad and we will be able to put on a better show of the African continent. And as a pro-African, I would be extremely happy as a coach, because that is what we want our continent, our football, to be respected, even if it is not necessarily perfect,” Legulagui said. “We are moving in the right direction. We hope that these two semi-finals will produce goals and a spectacle that will show off our continent.”
On the eve of the tournament, the Confederation of African Football announced that the Africa Cup would be held. Switch to 4 year cycle From 2028. That decision is I was criticized by my coach during the tournament.However, it will keep the tournament in line with the FIFA calendar.
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Associated Press on Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations
