A new leader in Morocco.. and the coaching change pays off for Wydad
In the absence of the title holder
Amman4 min read
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In the absence of the quartet representing the Kingdom in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup competitions, led by the title holder Maghreb de Fès, the fifth round of the Moroccan Football League produced a new leader, CODM Meknès, while the shock of changing the coach paid off for Wydad AC as it returned to the winning path.
After the quartet of Maghreb de Fès, RS Berkane, Raja CA, and AS FAR played advanced matches from the fourth round to focus on the home and away legs of the second preliminary round of the two continental competitions, they missed the fifth round while awaiting their postponed matches later this week after successfully securing their spots in the group stage.
It was scheduled for Raja to play against Hassania Agadir, AS FAR against Ittihad Tanger, and Maghreb de Fès against RS Berkane, but the matches were postponed to Wednesday and Thursday.
CODM Meknès was the biggest beneficiary of the postponement of the summit between the former leader and title holder Maghreb de Fès and its runner-up RS Berkane, and Kawkab Marrakech's stumble against its guest Difaâ El Jadidi 1-1, by achieving its second consecutive victory and raising its tally to 10 points in its last three matches, in which it has not tasted defeat.
CODM Meknès, the 1995 champion, returned with a valuable victory from the home of its host Union Amal Tiznit, participating for the first time in its history in the first division, 2-1, and snatched first place by three points ahead of its neighbor Maghreb de Fès, pending the latter's postponed match against RS Berkane next Thursday.
The visitors took the lead with two goals from Ayoub El Khalifi (16) and Taoufik Razko (82), while Zakaria El Salhi (85) scored the consolation goal for the hosts.
CODM Meknès raised its tally to 10 points, ahead on goal difference of Kawkab Marrakech, which squandered its fourth consecutive victory by conceding an equalizer in the final minute of its match against its guest Difaâ El Jadidi.
Kawkab Marrakech, the 1958 and 1992 champion, took the lead with a goal from Hamza El Samali in the 19th minute from a penalty kick, then received a harsh blow with the expulsion of its defender Mohsine Rabja (45+2), before the visitors surged in the second half in an attempt to equalize and were awarded a penalty kick in the final minute, which Mouad Meshtanem successfully converted.
Kawkab Marrakech coach, former international midfielder Youssef Safri, said that "the draw is deserved, even though we paid the price for the numerical disadvantage which was the turning point in the match."
The shock of changing the coach pays off
The shock of changing Portuguese coach Paulo Sérgio Brito paid off for Wydad as the team returned to the winning path under the leadership of its new Tunisian coach Nasreddine Nabi following a valuable 1-0 victory over its host Union Touarga, scored by its veteran captain Ayman El Hassouni (9 from a penalty kick).
This is the second victory for the club with the most league titles (22 times) this season and the first after two disappointing draws.
This prompted the management to mutually terminate the services of Brito, who was hired to restore the team's prestige and regain its status in the CAF Champions League, which it has won three times, after finishing in a disappointing fifth place last season, but he only managed to achieve one victory in four matches (two draws, one win, and one loss).
His successor, Nabi (61), who knows Moroccan football well after leading AS FAR to the league and cup runner-up spots in the 2024-2025 season, succeeded in his first test despite the short period he has been in charge.
Wydad rose to third place with eight points, while Union Touarga dropped to eighth place with seven points, on goal difference behind Difaâ El Jadidi and Ittihad Tanger.
FUS Rabat achieved its first victory this season when it defeated its host Renaissance Zemamra with a single goal scored by Amine Sawan (63).
The 2016 champion put an end to two losses and two draws, while Renaissance Zemamra suffered its fourth loss this season, leaving its tally at one point in last place.
Its neighbor Wydad Temara, also participating for the first time in the top flight, returned to the winning path after three consecutive defeats, specifically since its unprecedented 3-1 victory over Wydad Casablanca in the first round, when it defeated its host Moghreb Tétouan with three unanswered goals scored by Abdellah Cherrad (59), Akram Khouidessi (62), and Othmane Sabri (81).
