Three players pull out of Morocco squad injured

Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:40pm GMT

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RABAT (Reuters) - Three players have withdrawn from Morocco's squad for their final World Cup qualifier against Cameroon in Fes because of injury.

Midfielders Mbark Boussoufa from Belgium's Anderlecht and AJ Auxerre's Kamel Chafni plus defender Abdeslam Ouaddou have all pulled out of Saturday's match with valid medical certificates, coach Hassen Moumen told a news conference.

Their withdrawals further weaken a team already hit by the absence of Girondins Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh through suspension and the dropping of Nancy's Youssef Hadji.

Moumen named Mourad Aini of Raja Casablanca and Azzedine Hissa of HUS Agadir as cover.

Morocco, bottom of the group, must win the match to have any chance of qualifying for January's African Nations Cup finals in Angola in while leaders Cameroon need victory to ensure their progress to the 2010 World Cup finals.

<p>Anderlecht's Mbark Boussoufa celebrates a goal against FC Bate Borisov during their Champions League second qualifying round, first-leg soccer match at the Constant Vanden Stock in Brussels July 30, 2008. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir</p>

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