Morocco's national football team, under the new management of Mohamed Ouahbi, managed to clinch a 1-1 draw against Ecuador at the Metropolitano Stadium, thanks to a late goal from El Aynaoui. Arriving at the match with the recent Africa Cup of Nations title in hand, Morocco faced a spirited Ecuadorian side that filled the stands with enthusiastic fans, turning the stadium into a vibrant atmosphere that elevated the significance of the friendly encounter.
In his debut match, Ouahbi fielded an ambitious lineup featuring Brahim and Abde on the flanks, Ounahi in midfield, and Issa Diop, who recently acquired Moroccan nationality, making his first appearance for the Atlas Lions. As always, Achraf Hakimi led the team as captain, showcasing Ouahbi's intent to establish a strong foundation moving forward. However, it was Ecuador who took control early on, utilizing Morocco's midfield turnovers to mount counterattacks, albeit with limited success. The first notable attempt on goal in the opening twenty minutes came from Caicedo, whose effort veered off target. Enner Valencia, making waves from the left wing, posed the most significant threat to Mazraoui, presenting Morocco with challenges they struggled to address.
Despite Ounahi's attempts to inject creativity into the Moroccan offense, the counterattacks led by Abde and Brahim lacked the necessary precision to create genuine scoring opportunities. Consequently, the first half concluded without any substantial action in the penalty areas, while the crowd was entertained by the melodies of Julio Jaramillo, Tierra Canela, and Morad, which animated the stands more than the match itself.
The second half began with an electric atmosphere, as Yeboah ventured down the right flank and combined effectively with Gonzalo Plata. The former Valladolid player set up Yeboah perfectly, who scored a stunning opener, sending the south end of the Metropolitano into a frenzy. Morocco was quick to respond, however. Following a corner, Gonzalo Plata was penalized for a foul on El Aynaoui, as confirmed by VAR, leading to a penalty decision. This time, it was El Aynaoui who took responsibility, but Galíndez was able to read his intentions, saving the initial shot. Fortunately for Morocco, the rebound fell to Hrimat, who struck the ball into the net. Just as celebrations erupted, VAR intervened to disallow the goal for offside, leaving the Moroccan side disheartened.
In a bid to energize his team, Ouahbi made several substitutions, including Salah-Eddine, who immediately aimed to make an impact down the left side. As the match neared its conclusion, Morocco intensified their search for an equalizer, driven by a sense of pride and a noticeable improvement in their second-half performance. When a corner taken by Achraf found El Aynaoui, he rose above the Ecuadorian defense to head home the equalizer, finally securing a legitimate goal for Morocco. This late strike left 'La Tri' with little time to react, and they were forced to withstand the Moroccan onslaught without conceding further.
The final lineups were as follows: Morocco featured Bono; Achraf, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui (Salah-Eddine, 80'); El Aynaoui, Hrimat (El Mourabet, 80'); Brahim (Gessime, 89'), Ounahi (El Khannouss, 72'), Abde (Talbi, 80'); Saibari (Rahimi, 72'). Ecuador included Galíndez; Franco, Ordóñez, Pacho, Hincapie (Estupiñán, 72'); Caicedo, Vite; Yeboah (Kendry Páez, 77'), Plata, Minda (Preciado, 72'); Valencia (K. Rodríguez, 77'). The match took place at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium, with an impressive attendance of 61,622 spectators.
As reported by marca.com.
