MOROCCO WITHOUT EL MESSAOUDI AND BENATIA FOR SAO TOME CLASH
Morocco will travel to face São Tomé and Príncipe for the second round of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers without two of their key defenders.
The Moroccan Football Federation confirmed that Ahmed El Messaoudi, who plays for Standard Liège, has been ruled out of the match due to injury. His absence adds to the defensive worries for coach Badou Zaki, who is already missing Mehdi Benatia, the Bayern Munich centre-back, also sidelined through injury.
These withdrawals leave a noticeable gap in the Atlas Lions’ backline, as both El Messaoudi and Benatia were expected to play central roles in securing a result away from home.
