Nassredine Nabi’s 16 subs who’ve delivered goals for AS FAR Rabat
AS FAR Rabat coach Nasreddine Nabi has a knack for making game-changing substitutions and FARPost looks at the 16 game-altering instances where his subs have come on and scored a goal or more.
It all started on August 30th, 2023, against Chabab Mohammedia. Deadlocked 0-0 at halftime, Nabi brought on Ismail Ouro-Agoro in the second half. The gamble paid off, as Ouro-Agoro netted the first goal, leading them to victory.
This set the tone for the season, highlighting Nabi’s ability to read the game and inject the right player at the right moment. The trend continued throughout the season.
Zakaria Habti became the hero against RS Berkane on September 3rd, scoring the equaliser in the 80th minute after coming off the bench. Similar stories unfolded in matches against RCA Zemamra, MC Oujda, and Youssoufia Berrechid, where Hamza Igamane, Ahmed Hammoudan, and Ouro-Agoro [who scored a brace] all scored crucial goals as substitutes.
The impact of these substitutions wasn’t limited to just securing points. Against Wydad Casablanca, the arch-rivals, Nabi’s magic touch was evident once again. Lamine Diakite, brought on late, scored the winning goal in the 90th minute, sending shockwaves through the Moroccan football scene.
Even in losses like the one against ES Sahel, Nabi’s tactics didn’t fail entirely. El Amine Zouhzouh, a late substitute, scored the consolation goal, showcasing the offensive threat Nabi’s bench posed to opponents.
HOW Nasreddine NABI’S SUBS ARE WINNING GAMES FOR AS FAR RABAT
The latter part of the season saw this trend continue. Diakite, Alaedine Ajaraie, and Houssine Rahimi all added their names to the list of impactful substitutes, scoring crucial goals in wins against MAS Fes, HUSA, and JS Soualem, respectively.
On February 11th, against Raja Casablanca, the reigning champions faced their biggest challenge. Trailing their rivals, Nabi brought on Botswana international Tumisang Orebonye in the second half. The Botswana international responded with the equaliser, highlighting the crucial role the bench played in maintaining their lead at the top of the table.
On 18 February, Igamane and Diakite were second-half substitutes and scored two goals in the 5-0 win over MC Oujda.
“Coach’s ability to identify our opponents’ weaknesses was important for us. Going into the second half, he told us where the spaces were, and all three goals that we scored in the second half came from exploiting those spaces,” Orebonye told FARPost after the 5-0 win.
Finally, in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Union Touarga Sport, Nabi’s genius was on display once again. With the score tied at halftime, he introduced Amine Zouhzouh, who went on to score a hat-trick, securing another vital victory for AS FAR.
The victory saw them bounce back to the top of the 16-team table with 46 points from 20 games. It was their 14th win of the season, with four draws and two losses so far.
Second-placed Raja Casablanca, who are coached by former Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer, have amassed 45 points, although they have played 21 games. Nabi’s masterful use of substitutions has been a major factor in AS FAR’s success this season.
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