Saktioui: 'Biggest Mistake Would Be Playing for a Draw Against Saudi Arabia'

Tarik Saktioui, coach of the Moroccan B national team, affirmed that his side will not play for a draw against Saudi Arabia in the final match of the Arab Cup group stage. He stressed that his primary objective is to secure qualification for the next round.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Saktioui stated, “A spirit of patriotism and strong team cohesion prevails within the squad. There is intense focus on securing all three points, God willing.”

He continued, “This is an important match that will allow us to advance to the next stage. The biggest mistake we could make is to play for a draw. Therefore, we will approach the game in a manner that allows us to win, and we will play without any pressure.”

Saktioui concluded by acknowledging the opposition: “The Saudi national team possesses technical balance, and their players are accustomed to playing together, having participated in numerous training camps and matches, which has given them ample time to achieve cohesion. We, however, do not have this luxury, as some of our players are experiencing their first time playing together, with some even meeting each other for the first time during our initial match.”