Monday, September 16, 2024 at 7:46 p.m.
DNES: ALI REFOUH
Tashkent – The Moroccan team managed its first match of the group stage of the 2024 Futsal World Cup well, despite the enormous pressure, said coach Hicham Dguig on Monday in Tashkent.
“For me, the players played a good game. The pace was high and the opponent was pushed by a huge crowd, given the geographical proximity to Uzbekistan,” Dguig explained in a statement to the press, following the 4-2 victory against Tajikistan in the match counting for the first day of Group E.
It is normal in such circumstances that some players, especially the less experienced ones, make mistakes, stressed the national coach, for whom, “it is the way to manage the pressure and win the match in these conditions that is important”.
“It was the match I feared, given that it was our first outing and, moreover, against a team that we do not know well,” Dguig added.
“Our opponent played without complexes, with a goalkeeper committed to the field and a strong desire to get a good result. It is difficult to play against this type of team,” he said, adding that “now we will face teams that we know well and we will prepare better.”
For Soufiane El Mesrar, a player on the national team, the match was difficult, against a tough Tajik team that was playing almost at home.
“We were able to win, even if our level was not at its best. We will correct our mistakes, to go very far in our journey,” he promised.
For his part, goalkeeper Abdelkrim Anbia, named man of the match, indicated that the first match is always difficult, “but we showed a fighting spirit which allowed us to secure the three points”.
“Now we will prepare for Panama to pocket the points of victory and approach our last match against Portugal without pressure,” he said.
For their next outing, the Moroccans will face Panama on September 19 in Tashkent, heavily beaten on Monday by Portugal (10-1).
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