Rabat – Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi says the challenges awaiting the Atlas Lions on their trip to South Africa to face Lesotho could ultimately benefit his squad, arguing that players should become accustomed to competing in difficult conditions away from home.
Morocco will face Lesotho on Tuesday, September 29, at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein in the second round of Group A of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) confirmed the fixture as part of Morocco’s opening qualifying window.
Speaking after Morocco’s 2-0 win over Gabon in their opening qualifier on Friday, Ouahbi acknowledged that the journey to South Africa will bring a different set of challenges for his players.
“We have a long journey ahead of us, and I also told the players that,” Ouahbi said. “Especially when we compete in Africa, we face different conditions and additional difficulties, and sometimes difficulties that we cannot control.”
Rather than focusing on those factors, the Moroccan coach said his players must concentrate on finding solutions.
“We have to focus on ourselves and on what we can do,” he added. “We know that we will have to go through these conditions, and these trips are what will make us develop and grow.”
Ouahbi ready to rotate squad
Ouahbi also left the door open to changes in his lineup against Lesotho, saying players who need rest could be given time to recover.
“We have enough players, and we will field the best possible team for this match,” he said. “If there are players who need to be rested, we will rest them.”
For Ouahbi, the strongest lineup will not necessarily consist of the biggest names, but of the players physically ready to handle the match.
“The best possible team means the player who will be 100% ready to play this game,” he explained.
The coach also described the away fixture as an opportunity to assess his squad in circumstances different from those available in Morocco.
“It is good that we face these kinds of difficulties,” Ouahbi said. “We should not relax too much here or get used to the comfort we have here in Morocco, thank God. This way, we will also be able to evaluate the players in difficult conditions.”
Morocco head into the Lesotho game with three points after goals from Noussair Mazraoui and Soufiane Rahimi secured a 2-0 victory over Gabon in Rabat.
