The Japan Times - Controversial African champions Morocco salvage Ecuador draw on Ouahbi debut

Neil El Aynaoui nodded home from a corner with two minutes remaining to cancel out John Yeboah's opener at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid.

New coach Mohamed Ouahbi led the Atlas Lions in his first game at the helm. It was their 25th consecutive match without defeat -- if only on a technicality.

Morocco lost 1-0 in Africa's showpiece final in January but, because Senegal players had walked off for a while in protest at a controversial penalty awarded to Morocco, they were awarded a 3-0 victory instead last week by the Confederation of African Football.

They parted ways with coach Walid Regragui in the wake of the final, a few months before the 2026 World Cup begins in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Regragui's side became the first African nation to reach a World Cup final four at Qatar 2022 and the Atlas Lions dream of delivering even more this year.

To do so they will have to sharpen up from a lacklustre showing against Sebastian Beccacece's strong Ecuador side.

With Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo and Paris Saint-Germain defender Willian Pacho, Ecuador are steely and finished second in South American World Cup qualifying.

With an impressive turn-out of over 50,000, with both sides well backed, neither wanted to slip up and the first half was a cagey affair which Ecuador shaded.

Winger Alan Minda sent a rasping shot narrowly wide of Morocco stopper Yassine Bounou's far post with the best chance of the half.

At the other end, PSG defender Achraf Hakimi and Real Madrid playmaker Brahim Diaz combined on a couple of occasions but without much effect.

Ecuador took the lead three minutes into the second half with a lethal finish from Venezia forward John Yeboah, driving into the bottom left corner from just inside the area.

- Morocco battle back -

Morocco stepped up a gear in search of the equaliser, with Hakimi firing a free-kick into the wall.

Diaz, who missed the penalty, the award of which so upset Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations final, fired into the side-netting.

A spell of Moroccan pressure told when El Aynaoui was felled in the area by Gonzalo Plata.

The Roma midfielder took the penalty himself, poorly, with Hernan Galindez saving it, but Mohamed Hrimat followed up by rifling the rebound into the roof of the net.

His joy was short-lived when the goal was disallowed after a VAR review for encroachment, with Ecuador's fans celebrating the decision like a goal of their own.

Real Betis winger Ez Abde could have equalised for the Atlas Lions but dragged wide of the far post after skipping in down the left.

Ouahbi, who led Morocco youngsters to Under-20 World Cup victory last year, managed to avoid defeat on his debut when El Aynaoui headed home from a corner in the 88th minute.

Ecuador take on Netherlands while Morocco face Paraguay next week in France as they continue their World Cup preparations, still in the shadow of the arguments over the African Cup of Nations.

Senegal are taking legal action and insisting they will keep the African trophy and even parade it in Paris on Saturday when they face Peru.

The matter may not be resolved by the time Morocco kick off their World Cup campaign against record five-time World Cup winners Brazil on June 13 in New Jersey.

S.Yamamoto--JT