Rabat – Rabat Raja coach Faudille Davids was not satisfied with his team’s points tally at the halfway stage of the Botola Pro, despite leading the table.
After the 2-0 win over Olympique Safi, he stressed the need for more consistency and a stronger finish in the second half of the season in a press conference.
“It would have been better to score the second goal earlier,” Davids said. “We were superior to the opponent, but we must play our possession style for the full 90 minutes. Right now, we only manage it in short spells.”
He added: “We need to be smoother in our play, control matches when rivals sit back, and avoid giving them chances on the counter. In the return phase, we must improve and, of course, increase our points. Thirty points at the halfway mark is not enough. To win the title, we’ll need 38 or 39 points in the next 15 games.”
David also pointed to the squad’s fitness: “The good thing is all our players are back and physically ready. With better performances and more points, we can reach our goal.”
On the fans, he said: “From the first minute to the last, they supported us. If we improve and play the football we want, with their backing, nothing can stop us.”
Badr Banoun’s statement
Defender Badr Banoun shared a similar view. “We wanted more points than we have now,” he admitted. “We dropped points in matches where we were better, like against CODM Meknès and Ittihad Yakoub Mansour. But recently we recovered some, with wins in Agadir, against Safi, and against Ittihad Tanger.”
Banoun concluded: “Thirty points is not a good result, but it is acceptable. The performance against Safi showed the quality of all the players. We were free, supported by our fans, who came to training and filled the stadium. Everyone knows the role Raja’s supporters play.”
Abdellah Khafifi’s statement
Abdellah Khafifi, who scored in the Safi match, underlined the importance of the victory. “This win gives us positive motivation to work with ease,” he said. “After the break, we’ll correct mistakes. We are one group, one heart, and I thank the fans for their support.”
Raja defeated Olympique Safi 2-0 in Casablanca, with Khafifi scoring early and Mohamed Bouleksout adding the second. The win kept Raja top with 30 points, while Safi stayed at the bottom with 7.