Sports Mole reviews Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Gabon and Morocco, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Morocco will look to maintain its perfect record in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers when it visits Franceville to face Gabon on Friday.
The Panthers also enjoyed a strong qualifying journey and need three points from their last two matches in Group Two to ensure their return to the continental championship for the first time since 2021.
Preview the match
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Gabon took another big step towards securing a return to the Africa Cup of Nations after defeating Lesotho 2-0 when the two teams met at the Moussa Mabhida Stadium.
After a scoreless first half, Toulouse striker Xavi-Warren Babika opened the scoring 10 minutes into the second half to put the visitors on their way before Rudi Junior Evaje doubled the lead with a volley in the 84th minute.
After losing to Morocco 4-1 in their opening group match in September, Gabon recorded two wins from their subsequent three matches, drawing 0-0 with Lesotho in their first two matches in October between the two victories.
Thierry Muyoma’s men missed out on a place in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations after finishing third in Group A last year, but they currently sit second in Group B with seven points from a possible 12, four points behind third-placed Central African Republic.
Gabon will look to pick up where they left off in October when they face an opponent they have not lost to in eight of their last 10 meetings, with four wins and four draws since March 2009.
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Morocco, on the other hand, recorded back-to-back wins over the Central African Republic in the October qualifiers, crushing the Wild Beasts 4-0 at Honor Stadium.
Having cruised to a 5-0 win when they met just three days ago, Monaco striker Elissie Benseghir scored twice and second-half goals from Youssef En-Nesyri and Abdessamad Zouli secured the three points in Oujda.
While Morocco has secured a place in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations as host nation, it has won each of its four qualifying matches so far, scoring an impressive 14 goals and conceding just once to sit five points clear of Group B.
Walid Regragui’s men, the highest African team in the latest world rankings (13), enter Friday’s match unbeaten in eight consecutive matches in all competitions, recording one draw and six victories, including victories over Zambia and Congo in the World Cup. The 2026 World Cup qualifiers start next June.
African Cup of Nations qualifiers in Gabon:
Gabon lineup (all competitions):
Format of Morocco’s qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations:
Morocco formation (all competitions):
Team news
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Gabon has announced its 26-man squad for the qualifiers against Morocco and the Central African Republic, with veteran striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang returning to the squad after missing the October qualifiers.
Mario Lemina, who has started 10 of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ 11 Premier League matches this season, should take over the work in midfield while Michel Mbula, Alex Mukito, Aaron Abedangwe and Anthony Oyono should form the back four.
Experienced midfielder Serge Martinsson Ngwali has been ruled out of the November qualifiers after sustaining a thigh injury while playing for Swedish club Brommapojkarna.
Meanwhile, Regragui has named a star-studded 26-player squad for the Morocco qualifier in November, including Achraf Hakimi, Sofiane Amrabat, Manchester United’s Nassir Mazraoui and 27-year-old En-Nesyri.
En-Nesyri is fourth in the country’s all-time top scorers list with 21 goals in 76 appearances since his debut in August 2016, and the Fenerbahce striker will be looking to add to his tally this weekend.
Naif Aghrd, Djamel Harkas and Captain Hakimi started against the Central African Republic last time out and should retain their roles in the Atlas Lions defence, while Amrabat, the former Manchester United midfielder, should get his 61st cap in the midfield.
Gabon starting lineup:
Mbaba; Mbula, Mokito, Abidangwe, Oyono; Kanga, Lemina, Ngwali; Sambisa, Bwanga, Aubameyang
Possible lineup for Morocco:
Bono; Hakimi, Aghrd, Harkas, Al Mazroui; Amarabet, Onahi, small; Al-Azouli, Al-Nusairi, Rahimi
We say: Gabon 1-2 Morocco
While Morocco will be playing for pride, the stakes are high for Gabon, who are just four points ahead of third-placed Central African Republic heading into their final two qualifiers.
Muyoma’s men have improved a lot since losing to Morocco in the first leg in September, but given the gap in quality and level between the two countries, we are looking for the Atlas Lions to pick up all three points and maintain their perfect qualifying record.
To analyze data on most likely scores, scores and more for this match, please click here.
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