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Rabat – Morocco’s head coach Walid Regragui announced the starting XI, which will play the last group stage game against Zambia as part of the thrilling Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Regragui’s starting team includes Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Yahia Attiat Allah, Nayeef Aguerd, and Sofyan Amrabat.
Yunis Abdelhamid and Ismail Saibari, as well as Azzedine Ounahi, Hakim Ziyech in addition to Sofyan Boufal and Ayoub El Kaabi are also part of the starting team.
The Atlas Lions have already secured a spot in the Round of 16 due to their high standing in Group F with four points. The match, however, is a key opportunity for the Moroccan squad – who is vying to keep their leadership in the group – to finish strong with as many points as possible.
Head coach Regragui spoke about the game at a pre-match press conference on Tuesday. He acknowledged that although no game is easy, he is less worried about his player’s performance for today’s game, as it is taking place at 9 p.m. Moroccan time /8 p.m. in Cote d’Ivoire. This means that the Atlas Lions will dodge the scorching daytime heat, a factor that proved challenging in past games.
Regragui also said that regardless of the uncertainty about potential opponents in the Round of 16, the team’s focus remains on clinching the top spot in the group.
“We will try to put up the best possible team for this third match,” Regragui said, reiterating the Atlas Lions commitment to win every match during the continental tournament.“We are focused on winning (an additional) three points,” he added.
Several predicting websites anticipate a victory for Morocco today.
Opta analyst believes that Morocco has a 60.7% chance of victory in this game, compared to 18.5% for Zambia.
It also predicted that Morocco has a 78.7% chance to take the lead in the Group F standings, while 11.4% is estimated for second place, 9.8% for third place, and 0% for fourth place.
