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Morocco World
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Morocco World
Morocco Finish Season With Narrow Win Over Benin – But Performance Raises Eyebrows
Morocco wrapped up their international season with a 1-0 victory over Benin on Monday night in Fez. Ayoub El Kaabi's acrobatic strike just before half-time sealed the win, but the overall performance left fans wanting more. The match followed a familiar script. Just like against Tunisia, Morocco struggled to break down a low defensive block. Benin were organised and cautious, content to sit deep and frustrate the hosts. Morocco, after fielding a much-changed side, failed to find rhythm or urgency for large spells of the game. Walid Regragui handed minutes to several fringe players, including Zakaria El Ouahdi and Osama Sahraoui, while Soufiane Rahimi partnered El Kaabi up front. But the changes didn't quite click. The midfield lacked drive, the wings were quiet, and there was little in the way of quick, decisive build-up. El Kaabi, however, made his moment count. On the stroke of half-time, he connected with a long ball from Adam Masina inside the box and finished with a spectacular bicycle kick. It was the highlight of the match. Ayoub El Kaabi scored the first goal for Morocco with a spectacular bicycle kick. Regragui tried to liven things up in the second half by bringing on Bilal El Khannouss and Osama Targhalline, but the pace never really picked up. Hakimi also came on late in the game, but the crowd in Fez, who had packed the stadium for a second time in a week, were left wanting more. Despite the lacklustre display, the win was Morocco's 12th in a row under Regragui – a new record. But the coach knows there's work to do. Speaking after the match, Regragui said: 'It's never easy to make lots of changes and expect full chemistry. We saw that the understanding between players wasn't at the usual level. But these friendlies are for testing things. We tried out new players and new combinations. What matters is the win.' Asked about criticism over his methods and persona, he joked: 'In September, I might show up with a hair transplant and clean shave, and pretend I'm a new coach. Then we'll win the Africa Cup.' Walid Regragui says that squad changes impacted the rhythm of the game. Striker Youssef En-Nesyri praised the squad's effort: 'The match was tough, but the win gives us confidence. We respect every opponent and take every game seriously. These matches help us grow.' Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou added: 'It's always hard at the end of the season. The players are exhausted, so it's normal that we're not at our best. But we got the result, and that's what counts.' Morocco now shift focus to the World Cup qualifiers next September. Regragui will hope to have a full house on the next international break after missing some key names during the last two friendlies, including Brahim Diaz, Abde Ezzalzouli, Nayef Aguerd, and Roman Saiss. Tags: Achraf HakimiAtlas LionsBeninBrahim DiazMoroccoTunisiaWalid Regragui
Morocco World
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Morocco World
Morocco Edges Benin 1-0 in Friendly Game
Rabat – Morocco played Benin this evening at the Fez Grand Stadium in a highly anticipated friendly game. The match drew a full house in Fez, with large numbers of local fans supporting the national team in a key test of tactical depth and squad rotation. Morocco claimed a hard-fought win against a resilient Benin side that struggled to contain the Atlas Lions' attacking efforts. In the first half, Morocco dominated possession and maintained pressure deep in Benin's half, patiently searching for an opening. Just when it seemed the teams would head into the break level, Ayoub El Kaabi delivered a moment of brilliance in the 47th minute, into stoppage time. Latching onto a well-placed cross, he executed a spectacular scissor kick past the goalkeeper, sending the crowd in Fez into celebration. The goal was a deserved reward for Morocco's control throughout the half and gave the team a boost heading into the second period. Morocco kept pressing for a second goal after the break, but a series of missed chances and solid defending from Benin kept the score unchanged, and the match ended with a deserved 1-0 win for the home side. The international friendly is part of the teams' preparation for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Morocco secured a 2-0 win in Friday's friendly against Tunisia, but the team's overall performance left much to be desired. These two friendly matches present Morocco a valuable window to fine-tune its tactical approach, experiment with squad depth, and strengthen team chemistry ahead of high-stakes continental competitions. With strong fan support and a clear vision for the months ahead, the Atlas Lions remain focused on building consistency and momentum. Tags: Atlas LionsMorocco Benin gameMorocco footballMorocco friendly match
Ya Biladi
4 days ago
- Sport
- Ya Biladi
Morocco defeats Tunisia 2-0 in friendly match
The Moroccan national football team secured a hard-fought 2–0 victory over Tunisia on Friday night at the Fès Sports Complex in a high-intensity friendly match. The goals came late in the game, with Achraf Hakimi scoring in the 80th minute and Ayoub El Kaabi sealing the win in stoppage time (90+3). This North African derby, played in front of a sold-out crowd, served as a key part of both teams' preparations for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON Morocco 2025). The match also marked the official reopening of the Fès Sports Complex, which had recently undergone renovations ahead of the continental tournament. The encounter proved to be a serious test for the Atlas Lions, reflecting the level of competition they can expect at the AFCON. Tunisia started the game aggressively, dominating possession early and trying to dictate the tempo. However, despite their early pressure and Morocco's initial haste, they failed to seriously challenge goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. Morocco entered the match missing several key players, including Brahim Diaz, Nayef Aguerd, and Abdessamad Ezzalzouli. Coach Walid Regragui opted for a reshuffled starting lineup, with Jawad El Yamiq and Adam Masina forming the central defensive pairing, flanked by full-backs Zakaria Belaamri and Achraf Hakimi.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Morocco defeats Tunisia 2-0 in International friendly match
Morocco dominates Tunisia in June 2025 friendly Tunisia reduced to ten men as Morocco controls play Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Morocco recorded a 2-0 victory over Tunisia in an international friendly played on June 7, 2025. The match, part of the June international window, saw Morocco deliver a strong performance against a struggling Tunisia Hakimi opened the scoring in the 80th minute with a well-timed finish, followed by a stoppage-time goal from Ayoub El Kaabi in the 90+4th minute. The result was further compounded for Tunisia when defender Ali Al-Abdi was sent off in the 90+1st minute after receiving a red read: Croatia defeats Gibraltar 7–0 in World Cup qualifiers, closes gap in Group L standings The match was held as part of pre-tournament preparation for both teams. With this win, Morocco continued to display consistent form in international fixtures, using possession-based football and high passing accuracy to control the game's led the game statistically, finishing with 61 per cent of the possession and 449 completed passes compared to Tunisia's 295. Their pass accuracy stood at 84 per cent, highlighting their midfield dominance. Morocco also registered 16 total shots, including three on target, while Tunisia managed only four shots and one on terms of discipline, Tunisia committed 22 fouls and received two yellow cards in addition to Al-Abdi's red card. Morocco, in contrast, recorded 13 fouls and only one yellow card. The numbers reflected Morocco's structured approach and Tunisia's reactive, physical read: Norway defeats Italy 3-0 in World Cup 2026 qualifier to Top Group I This result adds to Morocco's string of positive outcomes in friendlies ahead of key international competitions. Tunisia will look to regroup after a performance that highlighted issues in attack, possession retention, and defensive discipline.
Economic Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Economic Times
Morocco defeats Tunisia 2-0 in International friendly match
Achraf Hakimi and Ayoub El Kaabi scored as Morocco defeated Tunisia 2-0 in an international friendly on June 7, 2025 Morocco recorded a 2-0 victory over Tunisia in an international friendly played on June 7, 2025. The match, part of the June international window, saw Morocco deliver a strong performance against a struggling Tunisia side. Achraf Hakimi opened the scoring in the 80th minute with a well-timed finish, followed by a stoppage-time goal from Ayoub El Kaabi in the 90+4th minute. The result was further compounded for Tunisia when defender Ali Al-Abdi was sent off in the 90+1st minute after receiving a red card. Also read: Croatia defeats Gibraltar 7–0 in World Cup qualifiers, closes gap in Group L standings The match was held as part of pre-tournament preparation for both teams. With this win, Morocco continued to display consistent form in international fixtures, using possession-based football and high passing accuracy to control the game's tempo. Morocco led the game statistically, finishing with 61 per cent of the possession and 449 completed passes compared to Tunisia's 295. Their pass accuracy stood at 84 per cent, highlighting their midfield dominance. Morocco also registered 16 total shots, including three on target, while Tunisia managed only four shots and one on target. In terms of discipline, Tunisia committed 22 fouls and received two yellow cards in addition to Al-Abdi's red card. Morocco, in contrast, recorded 13 fouls and only one yellow card. The numbers reflected Morocco's structured approach and Tunisia's reactive, physical tactics. Also read: Norway defeats Italy 3-0 in World Cup 2026 qualifier to Top Group I This result adds to Morocco's string of positive outcomes in friendlies ahead of key international competitions. Tunisia will look to regroup after a performance that highlighted issues in attack, possession retention, and defensive discipline.
