Morocco may have a second major absentee for their upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Niger, with Soufiane Rahimi’s participation now in serious doubt.
The Lions of the Atlas face Niger in Casablanca on 13 November and Rabat on 17 November, in the third and fourth rounds of qualification. Azzedine Ounahi of Panathinaikos is already confirmed to be unavailable, while Rahimi could now miss the same international break.
The 30-year-old Al Ain forward was forced off after 30 minutes during Thursday’s President’s Cup match in the United Arab Emirates. He requested to be substituted after appearing to feel discomfort in his hamstring before collapsing and leaving the pitch in tears at Rashid Stadium.
Rahimi was comforted by his brother, Houssine Rahimi, and team-mate Yahya Ben Khaleq as the crowd applauded the emotional scene.
The Morocco international, who has won 46 caps and scored 15 goals, is awaiting further medical examinations. He could be sidelined for at least three weeks, which makes him highly doubtful for the next national-team gathering and leaves him theoretically ruled out if that assessment is confirmed.
Rahimi has been a regular selection under Mohamed Ouahbi and an important part of the manager’s attacking rotation. He has frequently made an impact after coming off the bench, scoring against Gabon in a 2-0 victory and providing an assist against Lesotho in a 0-2 win during Morocco’s opening two qualifying matches.
The extent of the injury will determine whether Rahimi can recover in time for the two fixtures against Niger, but his absence would give Ouahbi another significant selection concern ahead of the November matches.
