Morocco's captain and coach spoke with FIFA following their historic height in the Chile by reaching the semi-finals after they defeated the USA 3-1 in the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
The Moroccans showcased their resilience, with Saad El Haddad creating an opportunity for captain Othmane Maamma, whose initial shot was saved. Quick-thinking Zahouani then scored the opener, securing the win.
“I’m satisfied with the team and pleased with our achievements,” said Maamma after receiving the Visa Player of the Match. “The credit goes to my teammates for a true team effort. Our mentality and fan support inspired us tonight.”
Cole Campbell equalised with a penalty just before halftime, but Morocco responded strongly in the second half. Yassir Zabiri’s shot deflected off Joshua Wynder, and Yassine scored the decisive goal.
“Thank God, all our hard work was rewarded,” remarked Ouahbi. “We have young players passionately fighting for our country.”
Morocco is set to face France in their first U-20 World Cup semi-final in 20 years.
“I hope we advance further,” Maamma said. “I believe we’ve made Morocco proud. Now we must focus on the semi-final.”
Ouahbi added, “An entire nation, along with a King, is behind them, providing tremendous motivation. We won’t stop here.”
Coach Mohamed Ouahbi was thrilled with his team’s performance as they advanced to the FIFA U-20 World Cup™ semi-finals for the first time in two decades, following their victory over the USA in Rancagua.
He remarked, “We knew we put in an excellent performance against a formidable team. We respected the USA but weren’t intimidated. We understood that playing our game and defending well would give us a chance.”
