Morocco World Cup Preparation Scouting Report
Morocco won every single game of their World Cup qualifying group stage campaign and then disposed of DR Congo in the playoff. Make no mistake - this team is likely one of the top 2 teams coming out of Africa. Drawn into a group with Belgium, Canada, and Croatia they’ll look to take their blazing form to the World Cup.While they play a 5-3-2 as a defensive shape, they are fluid and dynamic in attack. Their wingbacks play very high up the pitch and provide width to their midfield. Their box-to-box midfielders aren’t afraid to get forward and make secondary runs, and their strikers play well off each other with differing skill sets.Any team in the World Cup will have difficulty breaking down this backline.
Key Players
Romain Saiss of Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Prem is the captain of this squad, but unfortunately was injured earlier in May. Hopefully he’s back to test himself and the US attack in June. The 32 year old is an anchor for both Morocco and Wolves, making 206 appearances for the Premier league side since 2016.
Achraf Hakimi could be considered as one of the best rwb in the world today. He is genuinely world class and has quickly risen to be one of the best players for PSG and in the Africa region. A player that built a career in the Real Madrid academy and hosts an impressive pedigree playing for Dortmund, Inter, and now PSG. This season he provided 4 goals and 6 assists for the French champions in ligue 1. He is a marauding fullback with immense versatility. He will be up and down the right side for Morocco and Jedi will have a difficult time tracking him in defence. This is the key matchup to the game. If Jedi and Pulisic can play triangles and attack Hakimi’s space it will pin the Moroccan defender back. But if Morocco is allowed forward and Hakimi gets into open space it will spell goals for Morocco.
In a midfield that boasts players from Watford, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Fiorentina I am going to single out Azzedine Ounahi from the French team Angers. A true box-to-box player with immense dribbling and progressive passing ability he will be the key for Morocco to keep the McKennie, Musah, Adams midfield in check. Think of him as a similar player to Idrissa Gana Gueye from PSG or Sandro Tonali of Milan.
And in attack we have another Sevilla player Youssef En-Nesyri. A 24 year old left footed CF with 35 goals in 107 appearances for his Spanish club. He is played effectively in a 2 striker formation because he is poor with his feet but excellent in the air. Think of him as a moroccan Jozy Altidore or Olivier Giroud. When paired with a speedy partner these players can be deadly. Given our lack of physical centerbacks after Walker Zimmerman, En-Nesyri may take his height and physical advantage to the centre of our box where Hakimi can swing in a deadly cross.
Tactics
I mentioned they play a 5-3-2 in defence but in possession it plays more like a 3-5-1-1. They have the ability to absorb pressure and hit on the counter, but they have enough quality to have stints of possession. This is a great test for the US as it covers many styles of play that they will encounter in the World Cup.
The way to take advantage of a 532 is to occupy the middle of the defence while pulling a wingback out of position and then filling that space left at the corners of the box. These are dangerous areas but will take quick passing or smart movement from the wingers and fullbacks to identify the space is open.