Morocco Forced Into Two Injury Changes Ahead of World Cup Opener

HARRISON, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 07: Marwane Saadane of Morocco controls the ball during the international friendly match between Morocco and Norway at Red Bull Arena on June 07, 2026 in Harrison, New Jersey. Vincent Carchietta/Getty Images/AFP

Asharq Al Awsat

09:53-11 June 2026 AD ـ 27 Thul-Hijjah 1447 AH

Asharq Al Awsat

09:53-11 June 2026 AD ـ 27 Thul-Hijjah 1447 AH

Morocco Forced Into Two Injury Changes Ahead of World Cup Opener

Morocco have been hit by the loss of two starters to injury, with Nayef Aguerd and Abde Ezzalzouli replaced in their World Cup squad.

Defender Marwane Saadane and striker Amine Sbai have been added as replacements, the Moroccan federation and FIFA confirmed, according to Reuters.

Aguerd, 30, has not played since the start of March because of a groin injury, which required surgery. His recovery stalled in April when it was discovered that he had a fracture of his pubic bone.

Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahabi kept up hope Aguerd would recover in time, but ⁠decided on Thursday ⁠that he would not be ready for this month’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The 24-year-old Ezzalzouli was hurt in a freak incident in the weekend’s friendly against Norway in Harrison, New Jersey.

As Morocco defended a corner kick, teammate Chadi Riad landed awkwardly on Ezzalzouli's ⁠right knee. Ezzalzouli attempted to continue playing, but soon had to be taken off.

Both Aguerd and Ezzalzouli were in the Morocco squad that reached the semi-final of the last World Cup in Qatar, and also the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco in January.

Aguerd, however, was also injured at the last World Cup in the last-16 tie against Spain and missed their three subsequent games at the tournament.

Saadane, 34, debuted for Morocco in ⁠2015 but ⁠has been an infrequent squad member since, while 25-year-old Sbai, who plays primarily on the left wing, won a first cap earlier this month in a World Cup warm-up friendly against Burundi.

Both Saadane and Sbai were taken to the US as cover and have been training with the squad. Saadane featured in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Norway as a second half replacement while Sbai was listed among the substitutes.

Morocco open their Group C campaign at the World Cup against Brazil at the New York/New Jersey Stadium on Saturday.

Tunisia’s Miserable Run Continues After Botswana Draw in AFCON Qualifiers

Tunisia's Montassar Talibi (R) fights for the ball with player of Botswana's Thero Setsile (L) during the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying Group H match between Tunisia and Botswana in Tunis, Tunisia, 28 September 2026. (EPA)

07:55-29 September 2026 AD ـ 18 Rabi’ Al-Thani 1448 AH

Tunisia’s Miserable Run Continues After Botswana Draw in AFCON Qualifiers

Tunisia’s poor ‌form continued as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Botswana in their Africa Cup of Nations Group H qualifier in Rades on Monday, extending their winless run to eight games.

It is a second successive draw for the North African side at the start of the continental qualifiers having been held to a 1-1 home draw by Uganda on Thursday.

Botswana lead the pool with two points from as many matches, the same as Tunisia, while Libya and Uganda have a point ‌each. They ‌meet in Hoima on Tuesday.

Thatayaone Kgamanyane put ‌Botswana ⁠ahead on 37 ⁠minutes but two goals from Hazem Mastouri either side of halftime turned the fixture in the favor of the hosts.

But Tunisia were denied victory when Lebogang Ditsele equalized for Botswana on the hour mark and the sparse home crowd left disappointed once again.

Yoane Wissa was on target as the Democratic Republic of ⁠Congo claimed a 2-1 win over Zimbabwe ‌in Harare to move top of ‌Group E with a full haul of six points.

Wissa opened the ‌scoring before turning provider for Samuel Moutoussamy to net a ‌second on the stroke of halftime. Marshall Munetsi scored his third goal in two games late on for the hosts, but the Congolese hung on for the win.

Equatorial Guinea defeated Sierra Leone 1-0 ‌in the other match in the group thanks to a strike from Spanish-born forward Loren Zuniga ⁠inside the ⁠first minute in neutral Yaounde.

DR Congo head Group E with six points from their two games, followed by Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea with three each, while Sierra Leone are yet to get off the mark.

Burkina Faso moved to the top of Group F as they defeated Central African Republic 1-0 in neutral Casablanca.

RB Salzburg teenager Aboubacar Camara scored the only goal of the game on the hour-mark in his second appearance for the senior national team.

The top two nations in each pool qualify for the 24-team continental finals that will be staged in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from June 19 to July 17 next year.

Sports

Olise Wonder Strike Gives Zidane’s France Win in Belgium

France's midfielder #11 Michael Olise celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Nations League Group A1 football match between Belgium and France at King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on September 28, 2026. (AFP)

07:48-29 September 2026 AD ـ 18 Rabi’ Al-Thani 1448 AH

Olise Wonder Strike Gives Zidane’s France Win in Belgium

Michael Olise's magnificent late strike gave France a 1-0 victory in Belgium in the UEFA Nations League on Monday as Zinedine Zidane made it two wins out of two since being named coach.

Bayern Munich star Olise, who was one of the outstanding players at the World Cup in which France reached the semi-finals, came off the bench late on with the game in Brussels goalless, and set off from inside his own half to score the winner in the 88th minute.

"He is a pure talent and he loves to just play. You can see it. He feels the game. I am pleased to be at his side," Zidane, who sprinted down the touchline and booted a ball to celebrate the goal, told broadcaster TF1.

The win follows a 1-0 success away to Turkey last Friday in Zidane's first game at the helm after succeeding Didier Deschamps as coach following the World Cup.

France are therefore top of Nations League Group A1 with six points, three points ahead of Belgium and Italy, who won 4-1 in Türkiye on Monday.

Les Bleus play host to Italy next at the Stade de France on Friday on what will be Zidane's homecoming. France will then entertain Belgium next Monday.

"We need a rest now. We have done a lot of travelling and not much training or resting," said Zidane.

"We were really good in every department. Against a really good Belgium side who made us suffer we held out, we played really well, and we were brave.

"We had some difficulties in the second half at times but that was to be expected with all the changes we made. I think we dominated the game. Overall we deserved to win and we got the goal towards the end."

- Mbappe missing, Jacquet debut -

Zidane was without captain Kylian Mbappe here with the Real Madrid striker having returned to his club for treatment after injuring his left knee while scoring the winner against Türkiye.

The French line-up at the King Baudouin Stadium showed nine changes, with goalkeeper Mike Maignan and Chelsea defender Maxence Lacroix the only players to keep their places.

There were notably debuts in defense for Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet, in midfield for Lucas Da Cunha of Como in Italy, and in attack for Esteban Lepaul of Rennes, the top scorer in France's Ligue 1 last season.

Belgium, in contrast, made only two changes to the team that started last Friday's 2-0 win in Italy for what was new coach Mark van Bommel's home bow.

France had the better of the chances with Paris Saint-Germain's Desire Doue cracking a shot off the bar in the first half and Da Cunha striking the post early in the second half.

But the contest was heading to an unremarkable goalless conclusion until Olise intervened, having been sent on in the 77th minute in place of Liverpool winger Bradley Barcola.

The London-born player collected possession inside his own half and advanced all the way to the edge of the Belgian box before curling a shot beyond the reach of Senne Lammens into the bottom-left corner of the net.

Sports

Ireland ‘Raised Awareness Worldwide’ in Israel Game, Says Hallgrimsson

Ireland's Icelandic head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson attends a press conference after the UEFA Nations League football match between Israel and Ireland in Debrecen, Hungary, on September 27, 2026. (AFP)

00:44-29 September 2026 AD ـ 18 Rabi’ Al-Thani 1448 AH

Ireland ‘Raised Awareness Worldwide’ in Israel Game, Says Hallgrimsson

Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson said his team had "raised awareness worldwide" about the Gaza conflict after they chose not to shake hands with Israel players before their 3-0 Nations League win in Hungary.

The Irish players wore black armbands in recognition of all lives lost in the conflict in Sunday's match in Debrecen, bowing their heads as the Israeli national anthem was played at the near-empty stadium.

The teams skipped the traditional pre-match handshakes and did not exchange pennants.

The game, in which Israel were the nominal hosts, had been in doubt earlier in the week until Ireland's team voted to fulfil the fixture, despite player unease over the war in Gaza.

Only one player, goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, pulled out, saying "it would be wrong to participate" in either the match or the return fixture in Serbia on October 4 due to the "killing of innocent people".

"It has been so difficult for so many players," Icelander Hallgrimsson told broadcaster RTE after the game.

"I hope that will not be in the next game because they have shown support to the protest, they have raised awareness worldwide, not only in Ireland, on the subject and that is normally the reason for protesting, to raise awareness of a situation.

"I think these players have done that with all their actions, with all that they have been saying. No more than Gavin Bazunu, but the others have done it here on the pitch and how they have shown their actions, so I hope people understand that."

Since Ireland were drawn in the same Nations League group as Israel in February, prominent Irish figures including sportspeople, fan groups and pro-Palestinian campaigners have protested against the matches going ahead.

The match in Debrecen and the return fixture next Sunday in Backa Topola, Serbia, are both being played at neutral venues.

The Football Association of Ireland opted for a neutral venue for their "home" match, citing "operational challenges".

Morocco Forced Into Two Injury Changes Ahead of World Cup Opener

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