Morocco vs Sierra Leone: What to Expect in U20 AFCON Quarterfinal
Morocco's U20 side are just one step away from booking their ticket to the World Cup as they face Sierra Leone in the quarterfinals of the U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Kick-off is at 4 p.m. Moroccan time (GMT+1) at the Air Defense Stadium, and fans can catch the action live on BeIN Sports 8 MENA.
Speaking ahead of the quarter-final clash, Morocco boss Mohamed Ouahbi praised his side's progress through a tricky group stage.
'I'd like to congratulate the staff and players on reaching the quarter-finals. It wasn't easy. The group was complicated, but we showed that we were improving match by match,' he said at the pre-match press conference.
'We'll stay calm, stay confident, and I trust this group. We know what we want and where we've come from.'
Morocco have already beaten Sierra Leone in a recent friendly, but forward Adnane Kharroubi warned that Monday's meeting will be a different affair
'I scored in the friendly against Sierra Leone. But now, only two players from that squad remain. It's a completely different team we'll face,' he said in an interview posted on the FRMF YouTube channel.
Goalkeeper Hakim Mesbahi stressed the importance of maintaining focus.
'We've had a good group stage run, but now comes the knockout phase, the decisive part. Our first target is to qualify for the World Cup. It won't be easy, but God willing, we'll do it,' he said.
Midfielder Houssam Essadik echoed that ambition. 'We know what we need to do to win and qualify. The U17 and U23 titles don't put pressure on us – they motivate us even more. Seeing our brothers win the CAN gives us a positive boost,' he added.
Victory would secure Morocco's place in the semi-finals and a ticket to the U20 World Cup.
Score Prediction:
Expect a cagey affair with Morocco seeing plenty of the ball but struggling to break down a resilient Sierra Leone. Extra-time might just be needed, and with their superior fitness and squad depth, the Atlas Cubs could nick it late on.
Morocco 2-1 Sierra Leone (AET) Tags: MoroccoSierra LeoneU20 AFCON
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