Morocco's FIFA Ranking Update Following Mali Match
In a recent development, Morocco has dropped to seventh place in the live FIFA World Rankings after a 1-1 draw with Mali during an international friendly held on Sunday at the Grand Stade de Tanger. This result has been disappointing for the Atlas Lions, who had previously climbed to an impressive fifth position following consecutive victories in the AFCON qualifiers against Gabon and Lesotho, buoyed by Brazil's unexpected defeat to Australia.
Currently, Morocco holds a total of 1,805.34 points, while Portugal has advanced to fifth place with 1,807.69 points after their 2-1 victory over Norway in the fourth round of the UEFA Nations League. Brazil follows closely in sixth place with 1,806.51 points. It is important to note that these standings are provisional, reflecting the latest outcomes from Sunday’s matches, with FIFA set to release the official rankings on October 7.
In the match against Mali, Morocco initially took the lead when Abde Ezzalzouli successfully converted a penalty kick in the 35th minute. However, Mali showcased resilience and equalized in the second half, with Gaoussou Diarra finding the back of the net in the 77th minute, resulting in a 1-1 draw. This match was part of Morocco's preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, where they had earlier secured a 2-0 win against Gabon in Rabat, followed by another 2-0 victory over Lesotho in Bloemfontein.
Originally, Morocco was scheduled to face Ghana, but the match was canceled due to the Ghana Football Association's withdrawal for unspecified internal reasons. Mali quickly stepped in as a substitute opponent after their own friendly match against Tunisia was called off.
As reported by moroccoworldnews.com.
