Football: Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire Draw (1-1) in Friendly

The Atlas Lions opened the scoring through Bilal El Khannous in the 48th minute. Neil El Aynaoui doubled the tally in the 53rd minute.

Gustavo Caballero pulled one back for Paraguay in the 88th minute.

“It was a different match from the one against Ecuador, played on Friday in Madrid. We had to find natural connections and adapt to the opponent,” he explained in the post-match press conference.

Ouahbi also emphasized the importance of drawing lessons without rushing: “I am not going to draw all the conclusions right away. I will mainly focus on our level of play, but also on the level of the opponents we will face during the World Cup.”

While praising the squad’s mindset, he reiterated his progressive approach: “I brought a larger squad. I knew that some players were not going to play, but I am very happy with the group. The best and highest-performing players will be selected to take part in the World Cup.”

“We must not change everything all at once in order to maintain a certain level of consistency,” he further insisted.

In this context, he highlighted the balance between ambition and humility: “We want to have a lot of ambition, but also a lot of humility. Expectations are high for us following our recent performances,” he said.

Furthermore, the national coach expressed his pleasure with how smoothly the training camp went: “This first gathering went very peacefully. I am very satisfied,” Ouahbi concluded.

The Ecuadorians opened the scoring through John Yeboah in the 48th minute. Neil El Aynaoui equalized for the Atlas Lions in the 88th minute of the game.

Mohamed Ouahbi’s men will play a second friendly match against Paraguay on March 31 at the Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens.

These two matches are part of the Atlas Lions’ preparations for the 2026 World Cup.

Inspired by Moroccan heritage, the new design offers a contemporary interpretation of tradition. By weaving together timeless cultural codes with a modern sensibility, the kit presents a fresh perspective that honors Moroccan authenticity and innovation.

PUMA drew inspiration from traditional embroidery techniques, an art form celebrated for its delicacy, symbolism, and beauty. The home jersey is distinguished by its emblematic deep red, symbolizing passion, courage, and commitment. The away jersey reflects elegance and Morocco’s cultural identity, enhanced by an Amazigh-inspired design that adds a layer of visual sophistication.

These jerseys will accompany the Atlas Lions in their upcoming international campaigns, mainly the 2026 FIFA World Cup, flying the Kingdom’s colors and representing the values that unite the Moroccan people.

Through this new collection, the FRMF and PUMA reaffirm a shared ambition to transform the national team’s jersey into a true flag, and a symbol at the crossroads of sport and culture that celebrates creativity and resonates across generations.

“In a remarkable ruling,” African football’s governing bodies upheld the appeal filed by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), finding that the withdrawal of Senegalese players during the final against Morocco constituted a violation of the rules of the game, the British newspaper reported.

The paper noted that through this decision, CAF has ruled in favor of the Moroccan national team.

The CAF Appeal Board decided, in accordance with Article 84 of the Africa Cup of Nations regulations, to declare Senegal’s national team as having forfeited the final of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025, with the result of the match being recorded as a 3-0 in favor of the FRMF.

The Board issued its ruling following the appeal lodged by the FRMF regarding the application of Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations, CAF said in a statement.