Abdellah Ouazane has made his debut for the Moroccan national team. The 17-year-old AFC Ajax forward came on as a substitute during the Atlas Lions' 2-0 victory over Gabon.
Ouazane entered the pitch in the 76th minute. "It's crazy, because this was a dream at first," the player reacted. "I watched these players on television and now I'm on the field with them. It's amazing."
The call-up follows an impactful start to the season at Ajax. While not yet a regular starter, the teenager has made his presence felt. He started three matches in all competitions, including Eredivisie games against PEC Zwolle and SC Heerenveen. Against Heerenveen he scored to make it 2-0.
In the UEFA Conference League qualifier against FC Sion he provided two assists in the 5-3 win. His contributions are a sign of the youthful energy currently keeping Ajax in fifth place in the Eredivisie, with 14 points from seven games.
At Ajax, Ouazane has been used mainly as a left winger, a position where Oscar Gloukh also gets minutes. The creative midfield is dominated by Julian Brandt, who is the team's top scorer this season with four goals. The full team statistics are available on our stats page.
The club brought in experienced players this summer but continues to invest heavily in youth. Alongside Ouazane, talents like Aaron Bouwman, Dies Janse and Rayane Bounida are seen as part of the future. Janse recently signed a new contract, while Bounida is rebuilding fitness after an injury with Jong Ajax.
Ouazane and his teammates now return to Amsterdam to prepare for the next fixture. Ajax host NEC Nijmegen, who sit 11th, on Saturday 10 October. The current standings and complete fixtures schedule are available online.
The report in full is at sports.yahoo.com
