Morocco's Top Scorer Saibari Out of World Cup Quarter-Final Against France Due to Injury

Morocco faces a significant blow ahead of their World Cup quarter-final clash against France, with star forward Ismael Saibari confirmed to be sidelined due to a leg injury. Saibari, who has been the team's leading scorer with three goals in the tournament, is a crucial player for the Atlas Lions.

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The quarter-final match is too soon for Ismael to recover.

Saibari picked up the injury during the Round of 16 match against Canada, forcing him off the field in the first half. Subsequent examinations confirmed a hamstring strain. While the injury is not considered season-ending, the tight turnaround between matches means he will be unable to participate in the highly anticipated quarter-final.

Morocco's head coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, confirmed Saibari's unavailability for the France match. "The quarter-final match is too soon for Ismael to recover," Ouahbi stated. He added that all other players are fit to play and that the team will field its strongest lineup for the critical encounter.

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Saibari's injury is not severe enough to rule him out for the rest of the World Cup.

Saibari has been instrumental for Morocco, scoring the winning penalty against the Netherlands in the Round of 32, ending the Dutch team's undefeated streak against African nations. He also holds the record for the fastest goal in the tournament, scoring just 71 seconds into a group stage match against Scotland. His absence will undoubtedly be felt by the Moroccan squad as they aim to make history against the defending champions.

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He scored the winning penalty against the Netherlands in the Round of 32, ending the Dutch team's undefeated streak against African nations.