Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup semifinalist, Atlas Lions of Morocco, will begin their campaign at the ongoing delayed 2023 Africa Cup Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire on Wednesday when they face Tanzania at the Stade Laurent Pokou in San-Pedro.
The Atlas Lions built upon their historic run to the 2022 World Cup semifinals after losing just one of their eight matches in 2023, which came at the hands of South Africa during the 2023 AFCON qualifiers.
The North African side have been regular competitors at AFCON, making their 19th appearance at this year’s edition., but they last won the competition in 1976 and with the current crop of players, there’s never been a better time for the Atlas Lions to lift the coveted trophy.
Tanzania, on the other hand, have no footballing pedigree at the Africa’s greatest showpiece, yet Adel Amrouche and his troops found a way to qualify for the 2023 tournament.
This will be their third showing at AFCON and underrating them may be Morocco’s undoing on Wednesday night.
Speaking ahead of their first match, Coach Walid Regragui admits a complicated task awaits Morocco in Cote d’Ivoire. “This is not the first time Morocco will arrive as favourites and a potential winner but, unfortunately, we have not managed to be regularly among the last four,” Regragui told Reuters.
“It’s true the last World Cup finals has given us the experience of the big competitions but for us the reality is that the Cup of Nations is always a complicated tournament.”
