Algeria head coach Djamel Belmadi pointed to the absence of captain Riyad Mahrez as a decisive factor in his team’s 3-0 defeat to Morocco in a friendly match on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, in France.
The match, part of both teams’ preparations for upcoming tournaments, saw Morocco dominate from the outset. They opened the scoring in the 22nd minute through Eliesse Ben Seghir. The lead was doubled just before halftime when Ayoub El Kaabi found the net in the 45th minute.
Any hopes of an Algerian comeback were extinguished early in the second half, with Sofiane Boufal adding a third goal for the Atlas Lions in the 64th minute to seal a comprehensive victory.
In his post-match comments, Belmadi did not hide his disappointment. He directly linked the heavy loss to the unavailability of his star winger. “We felt the absence of Riyad Mahrez tonight,” Belmadi stated. “His quality and experience were sorely missed, especially in the final third. He is a player who makes a difference, and we certainly could have used his creativity.”
The coach confirmed that Mahrez was sidelined due to a minor injury, describing it as “a small sting” that prevented the Al Ahli forward from participating. With the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations on the horizon and the 2026 World Cup qualifiers continuing, Belmadi’s remarks underscore his reliance on the former Manchester City man to lead Algeria’s attack.
This result leaves Algeria with questions to answer as their build-up continues, while Morocco will take significant confidence from their performance against a regional rival.
