Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, the winger for Morocco, expressed his delight over their victorious start in the TotalEnergies U23 Africa Cup of Nations. He highlighted their comeback 2-1 win against Guinea in the opening match of Group A, earning him the TotalEnergies Man of the Match award.
Playing for Osasuna in Spain, Ezzalzouli scored two goals from the penalty spot, guiding Morocco to a hard-fought victory. He acknowledged the tough challenge posed by Guinea and credited his team’s ability to find solutions on the flanks.
“I am happy to have won this first game at home. Guinea gave us a lot of problems because they were difficult to play in the middle, and so we found more solutions on the sides,” explained Ezzalzouli.
Expressing his personal connection to the tournament, Ezzalzouli admitted feeling a bit uncomfortable at the start of the match but revealed that they would now be more relaxed and eager to showcase their true capabilities after securing the victory.
“This tournament is close to my heart. I was not very comfortable at the start of this encounter. Some things had to be digested. Now, with this victory, we will be more relaxed and show our true colors because we are hungry,” he added.
Ezzalzouli’s exceptional performance and the team’s triumphant start have set a positive tone for Morocco’s campaign in the TotalEnergies U23 Africa Cup of Nations, fueling their determination to achieve further success in the tournament.