Ittihad Tangier's Upcoming Challenge in the Moroccan Football League
Ittihad Tangier is set to face Kawkab Marrakech this Saturday in what will be their third match of the Moroccan football league season. Currently, Ittihad Tangier occupies the third position in the league standings with a total of four points, trailing behind both Maghreb Fes and Ittihad Tawraka, who each hold six points. The match is scheduled to kick off at 5 PM as part of the third round of fixtures, which begins on Thursday with a match between Ittihad Tawraka and Nahdat Berkane, while Maghreb Fes will take on Raja Casablanca on the same day. This scheduling means that Ittihad Tangier will be entering their game in Marrakech after the conclusion of the matches involving the top two teams.
The Tangier-based team has accumulated four points from their first two matches, whereas Kawkab Marrakech has gathered three points, placing them in eighth position in the standings. Ittihad Tangier is closely followed by several clubs, including Mouloudia Club of Meknes, Raja Casablanca, Wydad Temara, Hassania Agadir, and Wydad Casablanca, all of which have three points but varying numbers of matches played.
As Ittihad Tangier heads to Marrakech, they aim to secure their seventh point of the season; a draw would increase their total to five points. Notably, this match occurs just four days before they host Maghreb Fes on Wednesday, October 14, as part of the fourth round, presenting the team with back-to-back matches within a five-day span against Kawkab Marrakech and one of the league leaders.
Coaching Leadership and Team Dynamics
This season marks Ittihad Tangier's first complete campaign under the guidance of Algerian coach Abdelhak Benchikha, who took over the role at the end of April with a contract lasting for one and a half seasons after steering the team through the latter part of the previous season. Ittihad Tangier finished the 2025-2026 season in seventh place. Benchikha has retained his position as head coach during the pre-season preparations, which commenced in late July and included a training camp and a series of friendly matches prior to the official competitions.
However, Benchikha faces his first mandatory change in the goalkeeper position due to the suspension of Badreddin Abahir for three matches and a fine of ten thousand dirhams imposed by the national disciplinary committee. This penalty arose from an incident during the match against Moghreb Tétouan, where Abahir attempted to damage the penalty mark in the dying minutes of the game. The committee also issued a warning to Ittihad Tangier, mandating repairs to the pitch.
Abahir joined Ittihad Tangier in July as part of the goalkeeping reinforcement strategy, and the club had positioned the signing as a significant addition to the coaching staff's options. The team also includes Togolese international Malcolm Barkoula, who was called up for the international break in September. Barkoula is among the goalkeeping options for Ittihad Tangier this season, alongside Abahir.
In terms of standings, Ittihad Tangier enters this round just two points behind the league leaders and one point ahead of a host of teams trailing closely behind. The league table remains fluid, with clubs like Raja Casablanca and Nahdat Berkane having played only one match, while the Royal Army has yet to compete as of the second-round standings announcement. The third round presents Ittihad Tangier with the opportunity to elevate their point total to seven as they prepare to return to their home ground, while Kawkab Marrakech seeks to reach six points with a victory.
Kawkab Marrakech approaches this match with three points from their first two outings, placing them in the eighth position, just one point behind Ittihad Tangier. This round will mark Kawkab's second home game of the season. The proximity of matches in Ittihad Tangier's schedule is noteworthy, as they will only have four days separating their match against Marrakech and the fixture against Maghreb Fes.
Maghreb Fes, who will visit Tangier for the fourth round, enters this weekend leading the table with six points from two matches, tied with Ittihad Tawraka. The Fes team will face Raja Casablanca on Thursday before their encounter with Ittihad Tangier the following Wednesday.
Ittihad Tangier began the season with a total of four points, placing them just behind the teams with perfect records after the second round. They do not have to contend with any postponed matches, having played the first two rounds as scheduled. The team approaches the third round with a roster that has seen changes during the summer transfer window while maintaining coaching continuity under Benchikha. The club successfully concluded its preparations for the season in September, having undergone several weeks of training sessions, including friendly matches and a training camp, before the official competitions commenced.
Abahir's suspension is the most significant update for Ittihad Tangier ahead of Saturday’s match, as it spans three games, indicating he will also miss the next two rounds unless the disciplinary decision is altered. The third round fixtures kick off on Thursday, while Ittihad Tangier is set to play their match on Saturday as the sixth contest in the round, culminating on Sunday with Wydad Casablanca facing Mouloudia Club of Meknes.
As reported by tanja24.com.
