Morocco Faces Ghana in AFCON 2022 Opener Amid COVID-19 Setbacks

Captain Romain Saïss and his teammates will face Ghana this Monday at 5 pm at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium in Yaoundé for the first day of Group C. The national coach, Vahid Halilhodzic, should review the composition of the team for this first match of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2021), the players Ayoub El Kaabi, Aymen Barkouk and Munir El Haddadi, who were initially starters, having tested positive for Covid-19, recalls the daily Assabah.

To read: Morocco’s Soccer Team Hit by COVID Cases Ahead of Africa Cup of Nations Opener

In addition to these three players who will be placed in quarantine in accordance with CAF directives, the Moroccan players could play this first match without Ryan Mmaee and Ilyas Chair, injured, and probably also without Youssef En-Nesyri who is not yet fully recovered. Despite these last-minute changes, the national team is determined to win the first three points, against a Ghanaian team that will be complete, to get off to a good start in the competition.

To read: Morocco Coach Halilhodzic Confident in Team’s AFCON 2022 Prospects

Morocco is the favorite for this match, given that the Atlas Lions have won 6 matches and drawn 3 out of the 13 matches played against the Black Stars who have won 4 victories. However, the Ghanaian team remains formidable for having already won four AFCONs against only one title for Morocco.

The two other teams in Group C, Gabon and the Comoros, will also meet this Monday at 8 pm on the same pitch of the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium.