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Walid Regragui: 'Morocco happy to settle for Croatia draw'

Regragui: 'Morocco happy to settle for Croatia draw'
© Reuters
Morocco boss Walid Regragui says that he was more than happy to settle for a goalless draw with Croatia in their World Cup opener on Wednesday.

Walid Regragui has revealed that Morocco's main focus against Croatia on Wednesday was to ensure that they 'lived for another day'.

Having been drawn alongside the 2018 runners-up and highly-fancied Belgium in Group F, Morocco are only regarded as outsiders to reach the knockout stages.

However, the Atlas Lions more than matched their more illustrious opponents at the Al Fayt Stadium, deserving claiming a share of the spoils from a goalless draw.

Although Croatia can claim to have had more openings in the final third, Zlatko Dalic's side did not do enough to earn maximum points in Al Rayyan.

The Checkered Ones' coach admitted as much after the match, criticising his players for not showing enough courage in the final third.

Sofyan Amrabat makes a challenge for Morocco against Croatia in their World Cup game on November 23, 2022.© Reuters

In sharp contrast, Regragui was delighted with the point, feeling that his team can now focus on trying to collect three points against fellow group outsiders Canada.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference, Regragui said: "Our goal was to live for another day as defeat in the first match ends your hopes in the competition.

"We did our best, the goal was not to lose. I've only been here for two months and I'm proud of the players. We wanted to achieve another result, but in the end we are satisfied with the draw.

"We will wait for the outcome of the Belgium match, and then we will look to qualify for the last 16 against Canada."

Morocco must first take on Belgium on Sunday before the Canada encounter takes place four days later on Thursday.

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Draw
15.8%
Croatia
61.1%
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Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic on June 13, 2021
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Netherlands Netherlands32107
Q Senegal flag Senegal32016
3 Ecuador flag Ecuador31114
4 Qatar Qatar30030

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England32107
Q United States USA31205
3 Iran Iran31023
4 Wales flag Wales30121

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Argentina Argentina32016
Q Poland Poland31114
3 Mexico Mexico31114
4 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia31023

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France32016
Q Australia Australia32016
3 Tunisia Tunisia31114
4 Denmark Denmark30121

Group E

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Q Japan Japan32016
Q Spain Spain31114
3 Germany Germany31114
4 Costa Rica flag Costa Rica31023

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Morocco Morocco32107
Q Croatia Croatia31205
3 Belgium Belgium31114
4 Canada Canada30030

Group G

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Q Brazil Brazil32016
Q Switzerland Switzerland32016
3 Cameroon flag Cameroon31114
4 Serbia Serbia30121

Group H

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Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Republic of Korea South Korea31114
3 Uruguay flag Uruguay31114
4 Ghana flag Ghana31023


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