Morocco call up centre-back Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal
Morocco coach Walid Regragui has added French-based centre-back Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal to his 27-man squad for the two friendly matches against Mozambique in Tangier on November 14 and Uganda four days later.
It is a second call-up for the 19-year-old, who made his Ligue 1 debut this season for Stade Rennais.
He was picked up one year ago but did not play but might get his chance this time after replacing the injured Nayef Aguerd, who suffered a groin strain in action for Olympique de Marseille in Ligue 1 action at the weekend.
Ait Boudlal, originally from Marrakech, is a product of the Mohammed VI academy.
In naming his original squad, Regragui recalled former captain Romain Saïss after an 18-month absence, plus Sofiane Diop, who has also had injury battles and is still awaiting a first cap after switching his international allegiance from France three years ago.
There was also a first call-up for PSV Eindhoven defender Anass Salah-Eddine, who recently changed his sporting nationality after having represented the Netherlands at youth level.
Morocco will, however, have to do without Achraf Hakimi, who suffered an ankle injury earlier this month and is uncertain for the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations finals.
To compensate for Hakimi's absence on the right flank, Regragui is expected to rely on Noussair Mazraoui, who, although used on the left for the national team, would return to his preferred position.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal, Saudi Arabia), Mounir El Kajoui (RS Berkane), Mehdi Lahrar (Raja Casablanca)
Defenders: Youssef Belammari (Raja Casablanca), Mohamed Chibi (Pyramids, Egypt), Jawad El Yamiq (Al-Najma, Saudi Arabia), Adam Masina (Torino, Italy), Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United, England), Romain Saïss (Al Sadd, Qatar), Anass Salah-Eddine (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands)
Midfielders: Sofyan Amrabat (Real Betis, Spain), Eliesse Ben Seghir (Bayer Leverkusen, Bundesliga), Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid, Spain), Neil El Ainaoui (AS Roma, Italy), Bilal El Khannous (VfB Stuttgart, Germany), Azzedine Ounahi (Girona, Spain), Oussama Targhaline (Feyenoord, Netherlands)
Forwards: Ilias Akhomach (Villareal, Spain), Sofiane Diop (OGC Nice, France), Ayoub El Kaabi (Olympiakos, Greece), Youssef En-Nesyri (Fenerbahce, Turkey), Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Real Betis, Spain), Hamza Igamane (Lille, France), Soufiane Rahimi (Al Ain, United Sarab Emirates), Ismael Saibari (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), Chemsdine Talbi (Sunderland, England).