Morocco Suffers Shock 3-2 Defeat to Gabon in Pre-AFCON Friendly

16 October 2019 – bySaid@Bladi · 1 min read

Many goals were scored last night in the match that pitted the Moroccan football team against the Gabonese team at the Grand Stadium in Tangier. Unfortunately, the Atlas Lions left the field with a very bitter defeat.

Frustration. This was the feeling experienced yesterday during this match which saw Morocco lose 3-2. First defeat of the new coach, Vahid Halilhodzic. The balance sheet is therefore more than disappointing exactly one month before the first official match against Mauritania counting for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN).

On the Moroccan side, the two goals were scored by the now captain of the Lions, Nordin Amrabat, one in the first half (32nd) and another in the second half (69th).

It was the Gabonese who opened the scoring as early as the 22nd minute through Aaron Boupendza, then through Denis Bouanga in the 48th minute. Issam Chebake, who currently plays in Turkey (Yeni Malatyaspor), scored an own goal in the 80th minute of the match.

The Moroccans are therefore leaving this match with a blow to morale and especially a serious problem at the defensive level where we have seen a lot of fumbling and misunderstanding between the players. Vahid Halilhodzic has 4 weeks to try to straighten the bar.