Morocco U17s Suffer Double Defeat Disappointment, Technical Staff Aims to Restore Confidence Before New Caledonia Match

Al-Botola has learned from a source close to the Moroccan U17 national team delegation that the players' morale is not at its best after suffering heavy defeats to Japan (2-0) and Portugal (6-0) in the ongoing World Cup in Qatar.

The source confirmed that “the players are experiencing a difficult psychological period following the two defeats,” adding that “the technical staff, led by Nabil Baha, is working diligently to restore confidence within the squad ahead of their final group stage fixture, despite the challenging nature of the task.”

The “Cubs” are scheduled to hold their final training session tomorrow in preparation for the decisive encounter against New Caledonia. This match is seen as their last opportunity for a morale resurgence, especially since a significant victory (potentially by a four-goal margin) could keep their hopes alive for qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams in the group.

Amidst increasing criticism regarding the team's technical and tactical performance, some voices close to the delegation emphasize that “the players are in greater need of psychological support than criticism.” This is particularly true given the immense pressure accompanying their debut World Cup appearance, which follows a string of successes for Moroccan national teams across various age groups over the last two years.

The technical staff is banking on the final match against New Caledonia to serve as an opportunity for “redemption” in front of the Moroccan fans and to rekindle the fighting spirit that characterized previous generations of the “Cubs.”