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Croatia finished the 2018 World Cup arsenic runners-up, portion Morocco failed to scope the knock-out stages| Host nation: Qatar Dates: 20 November-18 December Coverage: Live connected BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC World Service, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app. Day-by-day TV listings - Full sum details |
Morocco manager Walid Regragui says holding Croatia to a goalless gully successful their archetypal crippled of the World Cup volition springiness them confidence.
The North Africans, who besides look Belgium and Canada successful Group F successful Qatar, suffered a group-stage exit successful Russia 4 years agone aft losing their archetypal 2 games.
Their opener against 2018 runners-up Croatia was a mostly uneventful brushwood with fewer important chances.
"When you statesman with a loss, your imagination is finished," said Regragui, who was lone appointed arsenic Morocco manager successful precocious August.
"This crippled gives america much confidence. I deliberation it's a precise bully constituent for us."
The Atlas Lions, who person not won a World Cup lucifer since beating Scotland 3-0 successful 1998, forced Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic into second-half saves with efforts from full-backs Noussair Mazraoui and Achraf Hakimi.
"We were not capable to triumph this lucifer but the result was great," Regragui, 47, added.
"We did our champion and I americium arrogant of the boys. This lucifer was connected a truly precocious level."
But Regragui conceded his squad volition person to get amended if they are to scope the past 16 of the competition.
"We played with equilibrium similar the European teams, we wanted to airs a menace to Croatia and get a bully result, but the main nonsubjective was not to lose. We person to amended and make a winning mentality," helium said.
Morocco's gully means African sides are yet to triumph a lucifer astatine this year's finals.
Senegal lost 2-0 to the Netherlands and Tunisia drew 0-0 against Denmark, with Cameroon and Ghana getting their campaigns nether mode connected Thursday and hoping to people the continent's archetypal extremity successful Qatar.
However, Regragui expressed his acknowledgment for the enactment of the ample fig of Moroccan fans successful the Al Bayt Stadium.
"We consciousness that we are location and I americium blessed to beryllium successful Qatar. The Moroccan and Arab fans successful the stands supported america and gave america spot erstwhile we felt tired," the erstwhile Wydad Casablanca brag said.
Morocco volition play Belgium successful their adjacent lucifer connected on Sunday (13:00 GMT).
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