Norway and Morocco Draw 1-1 in Friendly as Mazraoui and Ez Abde Suffer Pre-World Cup Injuries

Arsenal's Martin Ødegaard canceled out Brahim Díaz's early strike in New Jersey, but the main story centers on devastating first-half injuries for the Atlas Lions.

Photo: AFP

The final countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered a high-intensity, bittersweet spectacle at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey. National teams Norway and Morocco battled to a competitive 1-1 draw in their final international warm-up fixture. While the match provided both tactical managers with crucial answers ahead of their respective group stage campaigns, the primary narrative shifted directly to the medical room for the North African side, who saw two vital starters forced off with severe physical complications just days before their tournament opener.

Morocco, looking to replicate their historic semifinal run from Qatar 2022, found an immediate breakthrough in the 7th minute. Abdessamad "Ez" Abde led a rapid counter-attack down the flank, cutting a precise pass back across the edge of the penalty area. Real Madrid playmaker Brahim Díaz capitalized on the time and space allowed by the Norwegian defense, unleashing a powerful, low right-footed strike into the bottom corner to beat goalkeeper Orjan Nyland. It marked an emotional milestone for Díaz, his first international goal since his golden boot performance at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year. However, Morocco's early momentum disintegrated on the half-hour mark. Bayern Munich fullback Noussair Mazraoui abruptly stopped during a defensive sequence, clutching his hamstring and signaling for an immediate substitution in the 29th minute.

The structural issues multiplied for the Atlas Lions just before the halftime whistle. During a frantic aerial battle inside the Norwegian box, a tracking defender collapsed awkwardly onto the right leg of Ez Abde. The winger attempted to walk off the impact but was deemed unfit to continue, forcing manager Mohamed Ouahbi to burn his second tactical window before the start of the second half. Operating without their dynamic wide options, Morocco focused on mid-block retention, nearly doubling their advantage in the 57th minute when Díaz saw an initial strike deflected by Nyland into the path of Neil El Aynaoui, who headed over the crossbar.

Norway, entering the tournament backed by an elite attacking generation, capitalized on the intense New Jersey heat and structural adjustments to dominate the final half-hour. The European side generated consistent dangerous sequences through Erling Haaland and Andreas Schjelderup. The breakthrough materialized in the 75th minute when Oscar Bobb executed a skillful driving run into the penalty box, delivering a calculated short pass to Martin Ødegaard. The Arsenal captain adjusted his body perfectly, curling a fine left-footed effort past the Moroccan keeper to secure the 1-1 equalizer. Kristian Thorstvedt nearly clinched a late victory for Norway in the 81st minute, sending a powerful header from a Julian Ryerson free-kick inches wide of the post. Morocco will officially begin their World Cup journey in Group C against Brazil this Saturday in New York, while Norway opens Group I play against Iraq on June 16 in Boston.