The Morocco national football team began life under new head coach Mohamed Ouahbi with a 1–1 draw against Ecuador in an entertaining international friendly.
After a quiet first half, the match came alive after the break, with goals, VAR drama, and a late Moroccan equalizer shaping the final result.
Ecuador came out sharper in the second half and found the breakthrough in the 48th minute. John Yeboah finished calmly into the inside-left corner after a well-timed assist from Gonzalo Plata to make it 0–1.
The goal forced Morocco to raise their intensity as they looked for a response.
Morocco were given a big chance to equalize just after the hour mark when they won a penalty. Neil El Aynaoui stepped up, but his effort was saved by the Ecuadorian goalkeeper.
Frustration grew moments later when Mohamed Hrimat thought he had scored, only for his strike, after hitting the net, to be ruled out following a VAR review.
Morocco kept pushing and eventually found their breakthrough late in the game. In the 88th minute, El Aynaoui rose highest from a corner to head home the equalizer and bring the score to 1–1.
It was a deserved goal for a team that had dominated much of the second half.
Ouahbi made several substitutions to inject energy into the game, with players like El Khannouss, Rahimi, Talbi, and Guesssime substituted in as they chased the result.
While it wasn’t a winning start, the performance offered encouraging signs for Ouahbi in his first match in charge, especially in the team’s reaction after going behind. A draw feels like a fair outcome in a match that only truly came to life in the second half.
The Atlas Lions should now focus on the next friendly against Paraguay, where they will look to build on this performance and continue refining the squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
