Football: Held by Ecuador, Morocco misses a golden opportunity in the FIFA ranking

Under the direction of coach Mohamed Ouahbi, the team started the match with a rethought system. Ismaïl Saibari played as a false striker, while the defense relied on Chadi Riad and the new arrival Issa Diop. Despite incursions on the wings and long-range shots against the goalkeeper, the first half ended with a goalless score due to haste in the finishing.

On Bladi.net: Morocco - Ecuador: time, channel and probable lineups for Ouahbi’s first match

From the return of the locker rooms, Ecuador took the lead in the 48th minute. Forced to come out of their retreat, the Moroccan selection intensified their offensives. In the 63rd minute, Hrimat thought he had equalized by picking up a penalty from Nael El Aynaoui that was pushed back by the opposing goalkeeper, but the referee disallowed the goal due to Rabie’s premature entry into the penalty area.

Faced with a compact Ecuadorian defense, the Moroccan’s multiple attempts finally paid off in the final moments. In the 89th minute of play, Nael El Aynaoui found the back of the net with a precise header, setting the final score before stoppage time and avoiding a defeat that would have heavily penalized the team.

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This result of one goal each slows down Morocco’s mathematical progression in the international ranking. By losing 1.51 points, the selection remains in eighth place in the world with 1753.07 points. It thus misses the opportunity to overtake Brazil to reach seventh place, a favor made possible by the Netherlands’ victory over Norway, but maintains its position as the leader on the African and Arab level.