Rulani Mokwena, coach of Wydad Casablanca, has urged Moroccan journalists to take a closer look at his team’s statistics before drawing conclusions about their performance. Despite their current position in sixth place, following a 1-1 draw with Ittihad Tanger, Mokwena believes the team’s results don’t fully reflect the quality of their play. He pointed out that, by the numbers, Wydad has been outperforming many other teams in the Botola Pro, especially in defensive metrics, counter-pressing, and chance creation. Mokwena emphasized that while there is room for improvement offensively, his team is creating opportunities and defending well.
Mokwena expressed frustration over the team’s struggles to convert their dominant performances into wins and conceded that there is work to be done. However, he strongly defended his squad, saying he is happy with their progress, despite the results not reflecting the quality of their play. He asked journalists to examine the team’s performance data, including defensive stats, counter-pressing, regains, and goals scored, to see that Wydad is excelling in many key areas. He also hinted that perhaps only one other team is currently outdoing them based on numbers.
On a different note, Mokwena was reluctant to address the issue of his side conceding numerous penalties, which has been a recurring theme. Previously, he had been outspoken about referee decisions in Morocco, and he made it clear that if journalists expected him to comment on the penalties, he would give an honest, direct response. However, he cautioned that if they were looking for politically correct answers, they should move on to the next question. Mokwena’s frustrations were evident as he defended his side’s performance despite the unfavorable results.
