This Saturday, November 11, 2017 (9:30 AM Pacific) Ivory Coast will host Morocco at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny for a match in the CAF World Cup qualifiers. The game is crucial to both nations as a ticket to the next World Cup in Russia is on the line, which should make for a highly entertaining match.
This game is a must-win for Ivory Coast as even a draw would defeat any chance of playing in Russia next summer. The Elephants are currently second in Group C of the CAF qualifiers with eight points but this is the last match of these qualifiers and only a point separates them from first-place Morocco. The last two results for Marc Wilmots’ side have been disappointing coming off a 2-1 loss to Gabon and more recently a scoreless draw against Mali. Wilmots has one of the best squads in this CAF region at his disposal with players like Serge Aurier, Franck Kessie, Salomon Kalou and Wilfried Zaha.
A vital absence of the team will be defender Eric Bailly, who is suspended for this crucial match. The loss of the Manchester United centre-back could prove to be a tremendous blow for the home team but the home-field advantage may prove to be the deciding factor in the game.
Morocco is currently leading Group C of the CAF qualifiers with nine points and just needs a point from this game to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The Atlas Lions are coming off a dominant 3-0 win against Gabon, where a hat-trick by Khalid Boutaïb led the team to the three points. Defense is the key component of Herve Rennard’s team as it has impressively not allowed a single goal in the competition. The back line is led by captain Mehdi Benatia and also features players like Nabil Dirar and 19-year-old Real Madrid player Achraf Hakimi. Going forward Renard also has some talented players like Nordin Amrabat, Sofiane Boufal, Younes Belhanda and Hakim Ziyech.
The team is well-balanced and has great leadership under the Frenchman Renard but this will be a very tough match especially away from home. The game should be one of the most exciting matches this weekend with the astronomically high stakes in place and should not disappoint.
How to Watch Ivory Coast vs Morocco
The Ivory Coast vs Morocco match will be broadcast this Saturday, November 11 at 9:30 AM Pacific:
TV Schedule: beIN Sports, beIN Sports En Espanol
Watch Live Online: Sling TV (Watch 7 Days Free)
