Casablanca — Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou (Bono) was forced to withdraw from Al Hilal’s clash with Neom on Monday after suffering an injury during the pre-match warm-up.
Bounou was initially expected to start the Saudi Pro League encounter, but discomfort in his hamstring prevented him from taking his place between the posts.
According to Saudi sports newspaper Al Riyadiyah, Bounou complained of pain during the final warm-up exercises before leaving the pitch following a discussion with Al Hilal’s medical staff.
The club subsequently confirmed that the Moroccan was unable to feature due to pain in the back of his thigh, with Mohamed Al Owais stepping into the starting lineup.
The extent of Bounou’s injury and the length of his expected absence have yet to be determined.
The timing of the injury could concern Morocco, with the Atlas Lions due to begin their campaign in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers later this month.
Morocco will host Gabon on September 25 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat before traveling to South Africa four days later to face Lesotho at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein.
Bounou has established himself as Morocco’s first-choice goalkeeper and played a key role during the national team’s historic run at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
His availability for the upcoming qualifiers will therefore be closely monitored in the coming days as Morocco prepares to open its road to the 2027 AFCON.
