The Atlas Lions defender failed to finish Morocco’s win in Bloemfontein. Mohamed Ouahbi played down the scare, but neither the Moroccan federation nor Manchester United have issued a diagnosis.
A comfortable win, with one cloud hanging over it. On Tuesday, 29 September, Morocco made it two wins out of two in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers by beating Lesotho 2-0 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. The match, however, was marked by the withdrawal of Noussair Mazraoui, who had to come off in the 69th minute.
Starting on the left side of defence, the 28-year-old was hurt in a challenge. He stayed down, received treatment and then signalled to the bench. Achraf Hakimi, back from injury, came on in his place.
Ouahbi stays calm
Speaking at his post-match press conference, head coach Mohamed Ouahbi discussed the physical state of his squad without sounding the alarm. He explained that the goal had been to win the game without picking up any injuries, and that this had been achieved. It was a way of downplaying the incident, although no official statement has yet clarified the nature of the problem or how long he might be sidelined.
Morocco, top of Group A with six points after two 2-0 wins against Gabon and Lesotho, will face Mali in a friendly in Tangier on Sunday, 4 October. Mazraoui’s involvement has yet to be confirmed.
Carrick keeps his fingers crossed
At Manchester United, concern is growing. According to the Manchester Evening News, the club will assess the defender once he is back at Carrington. Michael Carrick is already dealing with uncertainty over Patrick Dorgu, who has returned from Denmark duty for further tests. With two left-backs facing fitness doubts, the options behind Luke Shaw are getting thin on the ground.
Mazraoui, who scored against Gabon a few days earlier, had emerged as a credible option in that position. United return to Premier League action against Tottenham at Old Trafford on 10 October, a window that could be enough if the problem turns out to be minor.