In the 5th round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Morocco had to fight hard to overcome Niger (2-1). Against a well-organized and determined team, the Atlas Lions showed signs of fragility, particularly in the first half, before turning the tide thanks to the introduction of El Khannouss, Saibari, and Abde. This trio revitalized the Moroccan game and allowed them to overturn the situation. Walid Regragui can breathe a sigh of relief, as the match proved to be more complicated than expected against Badou Zaki’s men, the former coach of the Atlas Lions.
From the outset, Niger displayed its intentions, repeatedly putting the Moroccan defense in difficulty. Despite a nice technical sequence from Ben Seghir leading to a shot from Rahimi (4th minute), it was the Nigeriens who looked the most threatening. In just eight minutes, they created two dangerous situations that could have turned the game in their favor. On the other hand, Morocco lacked precision, as seen with Aguerd’s superb shot (14th minute) that hit the post and Ben Seghir’s attempt (23rd minute) which was blocked by the opposing defense.
After the break, Niger struck hard, opening the scoring in the 47th minute with a well-executed free-kick combination that caught the Moroccan defense off guard. Taking advantage of their physical impact and Morocco’s fragility, the Nigeriens continued to press. Faced with his team’s difficulties, Walid Regragui made a triple substitution in the 55th minute, bringing on El Khannouss, Saibari, and Abde. This proved to be a turning point in the match. Less than five minutes later, Abde energized the left flank, and from a cross by Brahim Diaz, En-Nesyri deflected the ball for Saibari to equalize (59th minute). The impact of these substitutions was confirmed deep into stoppage time when El Khannouss sealed the victory with an unstoppable header from a precise cross by Mazraoui (90+2).
This hard-fought victory reminds the Atlas Lions that no opponent should be underestimated in these qualifiers. Niger, despite being defeated, delivered an outstanding performance and could have hoped for a better outcome. Morocco won 2-1 but will need to display more control in the upcoming matches.
