Dguig: "We are Preparing for the Africa Cup and Aim to Test Our Readiness Against African Styles"

National coach Hicham Dguig emphasized the importance of the current preparatory phase for the upcoming Africa Cup, following the national futsal team's 7-1 victory over Cape Verde in the first round of the Berkane International Tournament.

Speaking to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation channel, Dguig stated that this event provides a crucial opportunity to familiarize themselves with the dedicated futsal hall in Berkane. He extended his gratitude to the officials for the invitation, reiterating that the objective is to contribute to the spread and development of the sport across various regions of Morocco.

He added: “We are preparing for the Africa Cup, and to avoid any surprises, we must face African teams to regain our rhythm and understand the specific characteristics of African football. Opponents often rely on physical strength and pressing more than tactical aspects, and we have benefited greatly from these experiences, which have been generally positive.”

Dguig continued: “Despite that, some deficiencies emerged that we will work to correct. However, the most important thing is that we went through this phase with a limited number of players, including both goalkeepers, which helps us better evaluate the squad before the continental competitions.”

Dguig concluded by asserting that the upcoming match against the Libyan national team will be tough, given Libya's history in the sport and their previous Africa Cup title. He highlighted the necessity of closely monitoring opponents, especially in the match against Cape Verde, adding that derby matches always remain special and involve different tactical considerations.

He finalized by stating that the primary goal is to test the national team against various African football styles, whether from central, southern, or northern parts of the continent, to avoid any surprises in the upcoming Africa Cup.