Preview: Morocco vs Congo - prediction, team news, lineups

With a World Cup 2026 berth already secured, Morocco will set out to wrap up their qualifying journey with maximum points when they welcome Congo to Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah on Tuesday.

The sides have had vastly different campaigns, with the hosts still perfect after seven matches, while the visitors are still awaiting a first win heading into their final Group E affair in Rabat.

Match preview

Four years on from making history by becoming the first African team to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup tournament, Morocco will return to the global stage next summer as one of Africa's most anticipated sides, and rightly so, given their flawless path to securing a place in North America.

Walid Regragui's men got the ball rolling with a 2-0 triumph over Tanzania in November 2023 and have not looked back since, winning all six subsequent qualifiers, which saw them confirm their place as Group E winners with two games to spare.

More impressively, the Atlas Lions have scored a whopping 21 goals at an average of three per game en route to qualification, while also letting in just two at the other end.

Away from World Cup qualifying duty, Morocco took on Bahrain in a friendly encounter on Thursday, when Jawad El Yamiq's 94th-minute strike extended his nation's winning streak to eight matches.

Tuesday's hosts will now seek to preserve the only 100% qualifying record among all African teams, and their record against Congo makes for good reading with two wins from as many previous meetings.

Morocco are also unbeaten in home World Cup qualifiers since 2009, highlighting the size of the task that awaits Congo if they are to upset the odds and pull off a shock win.

Congo had their World Cup qualifying campaign marred by multiple forfeited matches due to government interference in the nation's football operations, which resulted in multiple 3-0 victories awarded against them.

Still, the Red Devils' heaviest defeat came at the hands of Morocco in one of the four matches they took to the field for back in June 2024, as Ayoub El Kaabi grabbed a hat-trick to lead the onslaught in a 6-0 win.

After managing their first point of the qualifiers back in September's 1-1 draw against Tanzania, Fabrizio Cesana's men came away empty-handed from Wednesday's clash against Niger, where Deo Bassinga's debut international goal proved to be nothing but a consolation in a 3-1 defeat.

Currently the only team in Group E without a victory, Congo could not have asked for a harder closing assignment against the highest-ranked African side by FIFA (11th), 122 places above Tuesday's visitors.

Morocco World Cup Qualifying - Africa form:

Morocco form (all competitions):

Congo World Cup Qualifying - Africa form:

Congo form (all competitions):

Team News

With little to play for here, Morocco are expected to ring the changes with some players poised to make their debuts at this level, including midfielder Anas Bach.

Ayoub El Kaabi is one goal away from 30 for the hosts, which would see him join Ahmed Faras as the only two players in Morocco history to reach that milestone.

Achraf Hakimi's appearance against Bahrain saw him record his 87th international cap, at least four more than any other active player.

Fresh from opening his account for Congo, Deo Bassinga is on course to lead the line once again, flanked on either side by Dechan Moussavou and Wilfrid Nkaya.

Twenty-one-year-old Inno Loemba cut a peripheral figure before his withdrawal at half time against Niger, making him a doubt to feature right from the off this time around.

Morocco possible starting lineup:

Bono; El Karouani; Masina, El Yamiq, Hakimi; Ben Seghir, El Khannouss, Amrabat; Talbi, Ben Seghir, En-Nesyri

Congo possible starting lineup:

Ndinga; Kapaya, Makosso, Itoua, Etou; Ndockyt, Nongo; Moussavou, Ngoma, Nkaya; Bassinga

We say: Morocco 3-0 Congo

Morocco are in imperious form at the moment, and their upcoming challenge of facing off against Congo hardly poses a threat to the North Africans' winning run.

We fully fancy the hosts to exhibit their superiority and run out comfortable winners when all is said and done.

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