Maghreb Fez vs FUS Rabat Prediction: Hosts expected to win this time

Maghreb Fez is set to take on FUS Rabat in the 17th round of Morocco Botola League action at Stade Hassan-II. Interestingly, the last five meetings between these two teams have all resulted in draws. The question now is which side will be able to break this pattern and change their fortunes in this upcoming encounter?

Maghreb Fèz, coming off a 0-2 Botola victory against Moghreb Tétouan in their previous game, aims for a similar outcome. The first half of the match ended without goals, and it wasn't until the 52nd minute of the second half that Lahcen Gourbi scored, giving Maghreb Fez the lead. Despite maintaining defensive solidity and not relenting in attack, Mohamed El Badoui's 90+5 minute goal secured the win, extending Maghreb Fez's unbeaten run to four matches. Holding out for a full 90 minutes has been a rare occurrence for Maghreb Fèz in recent times, as they have been scored against in 5 of their previous 6 games, conceding a total of 8 goals. Currently, Maghreb Fez occupies the 6th spot in the league standings with 22 points from 16 matches.

FUS Rabat enters this game on the back of a 2-1 Botola victory over Wydad Casablanca in their recent match. In that encounter, FUS Rabat orchestrated an impressive comeback, ending a winless streak of three matches with goals from Ayoub Nanah and Reda Laaloui. However, FUS Rabat has shown vulnerability in their defense, having been scored against in 5 of their last 6 matches, conceding a total of 9 goals. In the league standings, FUS Rabat currently holds the fifth position with 24 points from 16 matches.

All factors considered, I anticipate a different outcome in this match, as I don't foresee it ending in a draw. Despite Maghreb Fez's four-match unbeaten run, I expect them to be the more motivated side, especially with the home field advantage. Therefore, with FUS Rabat anticipated to provide strong opposition, I am predicting a home win for Maghreb Fez in a match that is likely to have few goals.