7M - International Friendly Preview: Morocco vs Madagascar - prediction, team news, lineups

Morocco return to domestic territory on Tuesday evening to face Madagascar at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah, looking to build additional momentum for their upcoming World Cup adventure following an impressive 5-0 friendly win over Burundi.

With just over two weeks remaining before their tournament curtain-raiser against Brazil in Group C, manager Mohamed Ouahbi has limited time left on the clock. Tuesday's encounter offers a crucial platform to refine the technical partnerships and tactical setups that the Atlas Lions plan to implement in North America.

Match Preview

The hosts enter Tuesday's matchup in spectacular form, having claimed victory in four of their previous five fixtures, with their only minor stumble occurring during a draw against Ecuador back in March. Their offensive engine looked fully operational in their most recent fixture, where braces from Ayoub El Kaabi and Soufiane Benjdida, along with a strike from Tawfik Bentayeb, secured a commanding 5-0 win over Burundi. This marked Ouahbi's third match at the helm.

As the historic first and only African side to reach a World Cup semi-final, courtesy of their famous victory over Portugal at Qatar 2022, expectations remain high for the Atlas Lions. Placed in a challenging Group C alongside Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti, they will kick off their campaign against the South American giants on June 13, before meeting Scotland on June 19 and finishing against Haiti on June 24. Ouahbi, who stepped into the role following Walid Regragui's exit in March, views this game and a June 7 friendly against Norway as vital preparation steps.

Madagascar, on the other hand, travel for this fixture on the back of encouraging away form, having recently defeated Kyrgyzstan 5-2 and secured a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea. Corentin Martins' side missed out on a World Cup spot after finishing second to Ghana in Group I, failing to progress as one of the top runners-up on the continent. Consequently, their next meaningful matches will not arrive until the AFCON qualification process resumes later this year.

With no tournament pressures holding them back and facing a team positioned nearly 100 spots above them in the FIFA rankings, the Barea can play with absolute tactical freedom. While the two countries have met twice recently in the African Nations Championship—with Morocco winning the 2025 final 3-2 and Madagascar taking a 3-0 group-stage win in 2023—those tournaments were strictly for domestic-based talent, offering little indicator for Tuesday's full international meeting.

Team News

The home team will navigate this fixture without key figures Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz, whose availability remains clouded due to late club commitments, with Hakimi recently celebrating a Champions League title with Paris Saint-Germain. Between the posts, Yassine Bounou is tipped to start, shielded by a defensive line of Noussair Mazraoui, Issa Diop, and Redouane Halhal. In the engine room, 24-year-old Neil El Aynaoui could pick up his 16th cap alongside Samir El Mourabet and Bilal El Khannouss, while El Kaabi and Sunderland's Chemsdine Talbi are set to spearhead the offensive charge.

Madagascar have selected a 24-man roster for this match and their upcoming clash against Uganda, though they must manage without the services of forward Njiva Rakotoharimalala, Lalaına Rafanomezantsoa, and Marco Ilaimaharitra. Up front, Warren Caddy is anticipated to occupy the central striking role, flanked by the supporting duo of Arnaud Randrianantenaina and El Hadari Raheriniaina.

Possible Starting Lineups

Morocco possible starting lineup:

Bounou; Mazraoui, Diop, Halhal, Salah-Eddine; El Aynaoui, El Mourabet, Yassine, El Khannouss, Talbi; Rahimi

Madagascar possible starting lineup:

Dupire; Morgan, Rabemanantsoa, Tremoulet, Rabearivelo; Couturier, Lapoussin, Raveloson; Randrianantenaina, Caddy, Raheriniaina

Prediction: Morocco 3-0 Madagascar

Ouahbi will expect his team to deliver a highly convincing performance ahead of their flight to North America. Facing a Madagascar team sitting 104th in the global rankings with no immediate competitive objectives provides Morocco the perfect opportunity. Having registered seven goals across their last two games, the Atlas Lions possess an abundance of attacking options that should comfortably break down the Barea backline.