MAT faces Auckland City to write history

By stepping onto the pitch of the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex tonight, Moghreb Tétouan, the Moroccan representative in the Club World Cup, will have the opportunity to write its name in letters of fire in the history of national football.

One year later, and facing the same opponent as Raja Casablanca, MAT will have the heavy task of going as far as possible in one of the most prestigious club competitions.

A dream opportunity to make amends

MAT, whose results in the championship are less and less flattering, will have a dream opportunity to make amends with its supporters. Even if the game system, based on numerous short passes, has not undergone major changes, the results have not followed.

However, the club of the city of the dove has not skimped on the means, by recruiting heavy names in attack, such as Mouhssine Iajour or even Rafik Abdessamad. The men of Aziz El Amri are determined to make the Mondialito a gateway into history, like Raja.

What is certain is that the Rojiblancos will be able to count on the unconditional support of their supporters, reinforced by the Moroccan public in its entirety.

Opposite, it is a real old hand that will face MAT. Indeed, Auckland City is starting its fourth consecutive participation, all marked by elimination in the opening match.

The "Navy Blues" will try to break the taboo, to reach the quarter-finals. Undisputed champions of Oceania, the men of Ramon Tribulieitx are still in search of global notoriety. The winner at the end of this match will have to cross swords with the Algerians of Entente Sétif, Saturday, in the same enclosure of the Moulay Abdellah Complex.

A North American refereeing trio

International referee Walter Lopez from Guatemala will officiate during the opening match of the 11th edition of the Club World Cup, between Moghreb Tétouan and Auckland City FC. This engineer by profession, 34 years old, has already officiated during the U20 World Cup, as well as during the World Cup qualifiers, for the CONCACAF zone. Lopez will be assisted by his compatriot Gerson Lopez and the Costa Rican Leonel Leal. The Portuguese referee Pedro Proença will be the fourth official.

Provider / Source : Amine El Amri, Le Matin