A taste of success has not sated Morocco’s hunger for further glory –and that much could be gathered from coach Tarik Sektioui’s remarks after his side’s 3-1 victory over Comoros in their FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 opener. His players showed their strength from the first whistle, striking twice in the first 11 minutes at Khalifa International Stadium. They later added a third goal late in the opening period and came close to several more after the break.
Morocco’s ambition has grown markedly in recent years. Since their stunning run to the semi-finals at the senior World Cup three years ago, Moroccan football has gone from strength to strength, culminating most recently in their coronation at the U-20 World Cup in Chile in October.
Little wonder, then, that Sektioui, who led Morocco to the African Nations Championship title in August, made no secret of his desire for yet another trophy.
He told FIFA: “Our objective is to win all our games, starting with getting past the group stage, then winning in the quarter-finals and semi-finals to reach the final match, which we intend to win to secure the trophy. Morocco is a lodestar for Arab and African football, and in any tournament we enter, we must strive to win the title.”
Many observers are tipping Morocco for the trophy, given the confidence with which the Atlas Lions are playing across competitions and age groups. Sektioui, however, explained how there is no sense of complacency within his squad.
“Our ambition doesn’t mean that we’ll play with arrogance and presumption,” he said. “On the contrary, we know that the road to the final isn’t a bed of roses. There are heavyweight teams in this tournament, some of whom will be at the next World Cup, so our ambition is to be ready to achieve what we’re aiming for.”
Sektioui also outlined how team’s collective mindset during the Comoros match helped them avoid the fate of some of the other favourites at the Arab Cup. On the opening day of the competition, Syria upset Tunisia and Palestine toppled hosts Qatar.
“I thank the players for what they gave on the pitch,” he said. “The match was not an easy one, going up against a team with very talented players, especially out wide and in midfield.”
Sektioui’s men were in full control by half-time, with goals from Soufiane Bouftini, Tarik Tissoudali and Karim El Berkaoui giving them a 3-0 lead. A 56th-minute own goal from Mohamed Boulacsout gave Comoros hope, but Morocco saw out the game comfortably.
He added: “We saw what happened with Tunisia and Qatar, so I thank the players for the mentality they played with. They played seriously in the second half, while our opponents tried to push to make up the deficit. That’s why we turned to counter-attacks, although we were unable to convert several chances.”
El Berkaoui, who collected the Player of the Match award, echoed his coach’s sentiments. “It was not an easy match – there are no easy matches in the Arab Cup,” he said. “The standard in this tournament is very high, so the most important thing was to take the three points so we can play the upcoming matches with greater confidence.”.
Morocco will face Oman in their next Arab Cup match on Friday, before rounding off their group-stage campaign against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
