🇲🇦MoroccoNorth Africa
Brazil concludes World Cup preparation with victory over Egypt, Scotland impresses, Haiti loses
via Le Matin2 min read
Brazil, Morocco's first opponent in the 2026 World Cup, concluded its preparation with a 2-1 victory over Egypt in Cleveland. Bruno Guimarães opened the scoring for Brazil in the 7th minute, but Mostafa Ziko equalized for Egypt four minutes later after a defensive error. Endrick secured the winning goal for Brazil in the 52nd minute. Despite the win, Brazil's defensive performance raised concerns, and uncertainty surrounds Neymar's calf injury, making him doubtful for the June 13 match against Morocco. Wesley França also left the match due to injury. In other Group C matches, Scotland delivered a strong performance, dominating Bolivia 4-0 with goals from Lawrence Shankland, Scott McTominay, and a Che Adams brace. Haiti, however, lost 2-1 to Peru in Miami, conceding two goals in the final 15 minutes. These results show contrasting dynamics within Group C as the World Cup approaches.
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A Francophone gala was held on Friday as part of the first Marrakech Comedy Festival, celebrating an evening of artistic exchange, audience engagement, and cultural outreach. The event featured a program uniting various contemporary Francophone comedic styles. Hosted by French comedian Malik Bentalha, the festival underscored Marrakech's role in hosting cultural events open to both Moroccan and international audiences, while also providing a platform for Francophone artists with diverse and complementary writing styles.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has predicted Morocco will win the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. In a prediction exercise for "The Guardian," Mamdani envisioned an exceptional journey for Mohamed Ouahbi's team. According to his scenario, the Atlas Lions would finish first in their group ahead of Brazil, then achieve high-level performances to reach the final. Facing France, finalists in the last two editions, the American political leader ultimately chose Morocco to lift the trophy. He stated, "We are going to choose with our hearts, so I would say Morocco for this grand final," acknowledging a prediction guided by both passion and reason. This prediction highlights the changed perception of the Moroccan national team internationally since their historic run in Qatar in 2022, where they became the first African and Arab nation to reach a World Cup semi-final. Their recent continental title, a world record of 19 consecutive victories, and successes in youth categories have reinforced this new dimension. Morocco is now regularly cited among the teams capable of creating a surprise in the North American tournament. The New York mayor's prediction is part of a broader trend where observers give more credit to the Atlas Lions' ambitions. Before considering a potential final, the Moroccan team must overcome several important stages, starting with the match against Brazil, scheduled for next Saturday at MetLife Sta
Fadlu Davids' time as coach of Raja Casablanca appears to be concluding. Criticized for tactical choices and the team's recent disappointing results in Botola Pro Inwi D1, the South African coach is reportedly on the verge of departure. Davids, who arrived last September, initially brought positive momentum, with the Casablanca club even leading the league. However, the final stretch of the Botola season proved challenging under his leadership, as the team lost valuable points and their lead in the standings. A significant turning point was a 0-1 home defeat to RS Berkane on the 22nd matchday, where Davids' tactical decisions drew strong criticism from supporters and observers. This loss, combined with a lack of offensive inspiration in previous matches, including the derby against WAC, significantly eroded confidence in the coach. The accumulation of insufficient results in the demanding environment of the Mohammed V Complex has led management to question Davids' ability to lead Raja to the title. Popular pressure and growing internal tension have escalated the team's downturn into an institutional crisis, making an amicable separation seem likely. In parallel, the club is reorganizing its sports management. Spanish technical director Alex Garcia Canedo is reportedly in advanced negotiations with Raja Casablanca to become the sporting director, replacing Sébastien Sommacal. Canedo, known for his experience in structuring professional clubs and optimizing training centers, wo