Injury Woes Hit Morocco Ahead of Crucial AFCON Qualifier Against Libya
Morocco’s preparations for their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Libya on Friday evening have been overshadowed by a series of setbacks. The Atlas Lions have already seen the withdrawal of key players Sofiane Boufal, Zakaria Labyad, Abdelali Mhamdi, and Karim El Ahmadi, and now face the prospect of losing another crucial defender, Mehdi Benatia.
The Bayern Munich centre-back, who previously played for AS Roma, sustained a neck injury that prevented him from taking part in Wednesday’s training session. Reports from Radiomars suggest that Benatia’s participation in the match against the Libyan Knights of the Mediterranean remains uncertain, casting a shadow over Morocco’s defensive stability.
In response to the potential absence of Benatia, coach Badou Zaki has called up Mohamed Oulhaj, a seasoned defender from Raja Casablanca, to bolster the squad. Oulhaj’s inclusion aims to fill the void and strengthen Morocco’s backline ahead of what promises to be a challenging fixture.
These injury concerns come at a difficult moment for Morocco, who are eager to secure vital points in the opening stages of the AFCON qualifiers. The team’s resilience will be tested as they look to navigate these setbacks and maintain their ambitions for the tournament in 2017.
