Morocco’s head coach Mohamed Ouahbi used a “false nine” system in the friendly against Ecuador, which ended 1-1 at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid.
The idea was to adapt to the players he had and take advantage of spaces Ecuador were leaving. Ouahbi said the performance shows this tactic can work, but it won’t be the only way Morocco play.
“I am someone who adapts to the players I have, the most effective ones, those who make the team stronger. What I want is to put the best players in the lineup,” he said.
“The players who featured today showed we can rely on this approach in the future, but it certainly won’t be the only style we play. I regret nothing. We analyse performance after the game. The most important thing is that players understand there is no ‘starter’ or ‘substitute’—some will start, others will finish the match, and those who finish are equally important.”
Ouahbi explained why Ayoub El Kaabi didn’t play: “We chose three strikers with different qualities, some able to play as a false nine, and Rahimi is a player who excels in depth. We saw the spaces Ecuador were leaving, so we needed a player who can run into space and has the speed to exploit them. If we had played against a deep-lying defence, we might have chosen Ayoub El Kaabi because he moves well in the box. It’s about selecting players according to the context of the match.”
Morocco fell behind after Yeboah scored in the 55th minute but showed character to fight back. Substitutions including Soufiane Rahimi and Bilal El Khannouss helped the attack get back on track, leading to a late penalty. Missed chances by Neil El Aynaoui and a VAR-disallowed goal for Rabi Hrimat kept the game level.
Ouahbi stressed the match was a good test against a strong team: “From those who follow international football, they know Ecuador is a high-level team… I was happy to play against a team like this. When preparation time is short, you can’t play easy games, and matches like this show us what needs correcting.”
He also praised some players, especially Rabie Hrimat: “We saw his many qualities and he made the most of the opportunity.”
Ouahbi said Morocco is focusing on high pressing and team organisation ahead of the World Cup: “It’s not about being the best, but being well-organised. When we press, we must do it correctly. Today we saw areas for improvement. This is my work and the staff’s. We know what we want. To be competitive at the World Cup.”
Morocco will play Paraguay in Lens, France, next Tuesday at the Bollaert-Delelis Stadium.
