Rabat – AC Milan forward Hachim Mastour has been left out of the latest Morocco squad to play in the upcoming 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sao Tome.
The 17-year-old earned his first senior call-up against Libya in June. But the wonderkid has now been left out of Morocco’s first squad to face Sao Tome, with head coach Badou Ezzaki claiming that he was looking for more experienced players at this point, not youngsters.
“Mastour is not technically ready to take part in the next fixture,” Morocco head coach Badou Ezzaki told sports website Hesport. “Qualification is more important to us than names”.
“Readiness is key in the selection of players and we are looking to form a team that is able to win the three points and qualify,” Ezzaki added.
Clubless Houssine Kharja has also been omitted from the Morocco squad.
The captain is the main omission, with Marouane Chamakh and Mubarek Boussoufa, also left out. Granada’s Youssef El Arabi is among those retained. The presence of Mohammed Bouldini, the young player of Raja, is considered the biggest surprise of the new list.
© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission
