Mokwena: Botola Pro League Is Tough
Wydad Athletic Club coach Rulani Mokwena has made an honest admission about the level of the Moroccan top-flight league Botola Pro League after his side claimed two consecutive victories for the first time this season.
Mokwena’s men recorded their second league win on the trot with a comfortable 3-0 victory over JS Soualem in their last outing as highly rated youngster Oussama Zemraoui also continued his goal-scoring form.
At the same time, Cassius Mailula set up two assists. The win saw Wydad climb to third place on the log standings with 22 points, five shy of RS Berkane at the top of the table after 13 matches.
Moreover, the Red Castle are unbeaten in their last five encounters. Having overseen his team’s struggle to maintain consistent form since he took charge, the 37-year-old South African tactician says there is tough competition in the Botola Pro, citing their woes in securing successive wins.
“Botola is very difficult, the level of the teams is very close, and there is no real standout team in the championship. But I’m happy that as a club we show a lot of humility, we understand where we are and that’s very important, ” said Mokwena.
“Part of being a good leader is understanding the direction and understanding the direction means understanding where you are in the present moment. And where we are at the moment, for the first time in a year, we do back-to-back wins.
“For the first time as a club, we won two matches in a row in one year, and we must overcome this barrier and this milestone. And also, for the first time this season we do back-to-back wins, ” he added.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns mentor went on to call for patience as he aims to change the club’s fortunes and sounded alarm bells that any resurrection won’t be a walk in the park considering the weight of expectations at the 22-time Moroccan champions.
“So, these small wins go along the way, give us confidence again to resurrect the club, but we have to stay humble and focused. It’s a very long way, this club deserves to be a big club, it’s a big club by history, prestige, and the fans, there are huge expectations,” before he sent a warning
“We cannot get carried away and get excited by one victory, we have to stay humble and keep our feet on the ground, continue to work very hard, stay together as a team, and give back to the club and the fans what they deserve.”
Desperate to return to continental football after a dismal sixth-place finish in the last campaign, Wydad will lock horns against FAR Rabat on Thursday at Stade Municipal Kenitra. The Casablanca-based giants are winless in their last four league meetings with Rabat.
