Rabat – Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi said the 1-1 draw against Ecuador offered a useful test for his team, as he continues to shape the squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The friendly took place this week as part of Morocco’s preparations, with another match scheduled against Paraguay next Tuesday at 7 p.m in Lens, France.
Speaking in the press conference after the game, Ouahbi pointed to Ecuador’s recent performances in World Cup qualifying, where they finished second, ahead of teams such as Brazil, Uruguay, and Colombia.
“Those who follow international football know Ecuador is a strong team,” he said. “I was happy to face a side like that. When you don’t have much time to prepare, you cannot play easy matches. Games like this show you what needs to improve.”
Ouahbi said he wanted to see his team press higher up the pitch and play with more intensity. He noted that Morocco managed to apply pressure in the opponent’s half during certain periods of the match.
“At this level, you need aggression and high pressing,” he said. “We tried that today. It was important to test some ideas.”
Despite the positive aspects, he made it clear that the performance also exposed areas for improvement.
“I am satisfied overall, but we still have things to improve,” he added. “That is normal. If there was nothing to fix, I would ask myself why I am here.”
Areas to improve
The Atlanta Lions coach said his team must become more organized, especially when pressing as a unit. He also pointed to decision-making in the final third.
“When we had the ball, we were not bad. We have players who can create chances,” he said. “But we need to use the space better. At times, we could have hurt them more by playing behind their defense, but the final passes were not accurate.”
He explained that these details will improve with time and training, as the team adapts to his approach.
Ouahbi sees the Ecuador match as an important step in building the team before the World Cup. The upcoming friendly against Paraguay will give him another chance to test his ideas and assess players.
Read also: Morocco 1–1 Ecuador: Late Equaliser Rescues Draw in Ouahbi’s First Match
