Rabat – Morocco defender Ali Maamar has expressed his satisfaction after making his first start for the senior national team in the Atlas Lions’ 2-0 victory over Gabon in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.
The 21-year-old Anderlecht right-back was named in Mohamed Ouahbi’s starting lineup for Friday’s game at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, filling in on the right side of defense with captain Achraf Hakimi suspended.
Morocco secured all three points through goals from Noussair Mazraoui in the 36th minute and Soufiane Rahimi in the 84th, giving Ouahbi’s side a winning start to their Group A campaign.
Maamar pleased with Morocco’s winning start
Speaking after the game, Maamar stressed that the result was more important than his individual milestone.
“It was important for us to win against Gabon and start the qualifiers well at home,” he said. “My goal is to continue developing, gain more experience and play alongside new players.”
The defender also pointed to the importance of returning to competitive action with a positive result following Morocco’s participation in the 2026 World Cup.
“These are important matches. We are coming back from the World Cup, so it was important to return with a positive feeling and get the win,” Maamar said. “We are happy to see the fans again, happy with this victory, and we are taking positive things into the next match.”
First senior start for the Anderlecht defender
While Friday marked Maamar’s first senior start for Morocco, he had already made his senior international debut on June 2, coming off the bench for 20 minutes during a 4-0 friendly victory over Madagascar.
Reflecting on his performance against Gabon, Maamar said he preferred to review the match before making a detailed assessment.
“There are of course some points that need improvement, and I will analyze my performance after the match because I don’t really like evaluating myself immediately after a game,” he said. “I’m happy to have started, and I hope to continue like this.”
Maamar has established himself as a regular with Belgian side Anderlecht this season, starting all seven of the club’s league matches so far and registering two assists.
Morocco will next face Lesotho in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on September 29 in their second AFCON 2027 q
