Dirar opts for Lemerre's Morocco

Roger Lemerre will welcome Dirar, after being forced to make changes

Club Bruges midfielder Nabil Dirar has accepted an invitation to play for Morocco in their crucial World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifier this weekend.

Dirar was born in Morocco but holds Belgian citizenship.

Despite being called up to the Belgian squad last month, he has opted to play for the country of his birth.

He has joined Morocco's squad for their final Group 8 tie against Mauritania in Rabat on Saturday.

Morocco currently lie second in the group but could finish top ahead of Rwanda with a victory.

Coach Roger Lemerre has been forced to make a number of changes to a squad that has been hit by injuries, suspensions and losses of form.

Left-back Badr El Kaddouri is a notable absentee, having been injured playing for Dynamo Kiev against Fenerbahce in the Uefa Champions League last Tuesday.

Soufiane Alloudi misses out due to suspension, while Abdeslam Benjelloun, Abderrahman Kabous, Mourad El Ainy, Adil Hermach and Mbark Boussoufa are all omitted on form.

The squad has, however, been boosted by the addition of Dirar, along with the inclusion of Aalborg goalkeeper Karim Zaza, who could solve Morocco's long-running search for a regular and consistent candidate for the number one jersey.

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Morocco squad:

Goalkeepers: Karim Zaza (Aalborg, Denmark), Nadir Lamyaghri (Wydad Casablanca)

Defenders: Michael Chretien Bassir and Abdeslam Ouaddou (Nancy, France), Younes Mankari (Wydad Casablanca), Amine Erbate (Marseille, France), Youssef Rabeh (Levski Sofia, Bulgaria), Salaheddine Sbai (Charleroi, Belgium)

Midfielders: Youssef Safri (Qatar S.C., Qatar), Houcine Kharja (Sienna, Italy), Marouane Zemmama (Al Sha'ab), Mohamed Oulhaj (Raja Casablanca), Nabil Dirar (Bruges, Belgium), Issam Erraki (FAR)

Forwards: Marouane Chamakh (Bordeaux), Moncef Zerka and Youssouf Hadji (Nancy, France), Nabil El Zhar (Liverpool, England)