Morocco overcome deficit to cruise past Slovakia in pre-World Cup friendly

Updated: May 17, 2023, 12:29 am

Ayoub El Kaabi and Amine Harit celebrate against Slovakia.
Ayoub El Kaabi and Amine Harit celebrate against Slovakia.
SALVATORE DI NOLFI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock.

GENEVA -- Morocco's Ayoub Kaabi and Younes Belhanda scored in a 10-minute second-half spell to give the World Cup-bound side a convincing 2-1 win over Slovakia in a warm-up friendly on Monday.

The North Africans, who play Spain, Portugal and Iran in their first appearance at the finals since 1998, dominated the first half and nearly went ahead when Hakim Ziyech hit the post from long range.

Slovakia, who missed out on the tournament in Russia, went ahead in the 59th minute when Jans Gregus rifled home a low shot from 25 metres.

But substitute Kaabi headed Morocco level five minutes later and Belhanda turned the game around when he chested the ball down and fired home with a low shot from the edge of the area.