Morocco is betting on offensive efficiency in the quarter-finals of the "2026 World Cup."
Moroccan fans are eagerly awaiting the lineup that national coach Mohamed Wahbi will use in the anticipated quarter-final match of the World Cup against France today, Thursday, while it is expected that striker Ismail Sabari will be absent, as he could not complete the previous match against Canada due to a muscle injury.
Striker Sofiane Rahimi came on as a substitute for Sabari in the match against Canada, where he showed a strong performance, contributing to the first goal and scoring the third.
Experts believe that Sabari's absence will not affect the national team's performance, confirming that Rahimi has adapted to the competition and is now capable of leading the attack and threatening the opponents' goal.
National coach Ridouane Haimar considered that coach Mohamed Wahbi adopts the "false striker" style, which either forces defenders out of their positions or creates numerical superiority in attack if they remain in their spots.
Haimar explained in a statement to Hespress that Rahimi has added a qualitative contribution during his appearances, adding that he has been liberated, especially mentally, in the match against Haiti after scoring one goal and assisting another.
The same speaker added that Rahimi was behind the first goal scored by the Moroccan team against Canada in the round of 16, after he earned a free kick from which the goal came, highlighting that he excelled in the match, managed to score, and continuously troubled the Canadian defense by constantly asking for the ball behind the defenders, which contributed to creating opportunities and attacking solutions for the national team.
Coach Haimar confirmed that "despite the absence of Ismail Sabari, who is one of the stars of the World Cup, Rahimi is capable of compensating for this gap and represents the best alternative for him."