Morocco showed ‘we are fighters’ to earn Zambia WAFCON draw – Ouzraoui

Morocco forward Sakina Ouzraoui has praised the team’s fighting spirit for securing a comeback 2-2 draw against Zambia in their opening fixture of 2024CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Rabat, Morocco, on Saturday.

After the Copper Queens had twice taken the lead courtesy of captain Barbra Banda and forward Racheal Kundananji, the North Africans needed a late strike via Ghizlane Chebbak to snatch a vital point from the Group A contest.

“We showed that we are fighters,” Ouzraoui told BBC Sport Africa. “We are Morocco and we don’t give up easy. It is a big feeling because we were losing. Having a draw at the last minute is a good result.

“We wanted to have the win but we know Zambia is a good team, fast and strong, with big players,” added Ouzraoui. “We know all the pressure is on us because the [WAFCON] is being played here and we were finalists at the last one.

“We have two games coming and we have to win them because we want the cup to stay here.”

Team-mate Yasmin Mrabet had a different opinion: “I think that’s something we need to really look at and improve on,” said the midfielder. “I think we were able to control a lot of moments of the game.

“There’s always a lot of expectation, being the host of the tournament also, and especially with our last [WAFCON], but I think we need to be calm. We need to go match by match.”

The Atlas Lionesses will face DR Congo in their next fixture while the Copper Queens will come up against Senegal, both matches on Wednesday.