Wahbi: There are no excuses against the Lesotho national team, and we must give young players the chance to learn from their mistakes.

Morocco's national coach, Mohamed Wahbi, emphasized the importance of approaching the upcoming match against Lesotho with seriousness and focus. The game is set for tomorrow, Tuesday, in Bloemfontein, South Africa, as part of the second round of qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. He stressed that changing circumstances will not serve as an excuse for the team.

During a press conference held before the match, Wahbi stated: “This is one of our objectives among others. We won the first match, and now we are heading into the second. Naturally, the circumstances are different, so we must adapt and focus on what we know how to do best, aiming to win this match while respecting the Lesotho team, which has shown significant improvement in recent years.”

The national coach revealed that the entire squad is available except for Nayef Aguerd, as the coaching staff decided not to take risks with him and to continue his return-to-competition protocol. He clarified: “We have no absences; everyone is available except for Aguerd, whom we preferred to keep in the return protocol.”

Wahbi rejected the idea that weather conditions or the state of the pitch could serve as excuses for any potential setbacks, stating: “It’s not about looking for excuses for anything. The temperatures here are suitable, but whether it’s the temperature, the quality of the pitch, or anything else, we cannot have excuses. We must focus on the solutions we need to find to win matches.”

Regarding the new players in the squad, Wahbi explained that the integration process is gradual, saying: “As for the new players, we have noticed that they are integrating gradually. Some have played, some have not yet, and some will play. We want these players to develop, and we also want to see them on the pitch.”

The national coach affirmed that allowing young players to make mistakes is part of their development, adding: “We must also allow them to make wrong decisions when that happens. We need to respect that, as they are young players.”

Wahbi believes that focusing on the Moroccan team and delivering better performances in each match is crucial for dealing with the Lesotho encounter, stating: “Focusing on ourselves, being better each time, and being the best version of ourselves is what we strive to repeat on every occasion.”

He concluded by stressing the need to approach the match with seriousness, despite Morocco's theoretical superiority, saying: “The best way to avoid underestimating the match is to be fully focused, to treat this match seriously, and to give our all to achieve victory.”

The match between Morocco and Lesotho will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, starting at 1:00 PM, as part of the second round of qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.