UTS Rabat hold nerve in tight opener
UTS Rabat saw off FUS Rabat 2:1 in the opening round of Botola Pro on Saturday afternoon. The hosts took the lead through A. Ajerrar in the twelfth minute before S. Lotfi equalised for the visitors shortly after the half-hour mark. M. Lahtimi then struck from the spot in the seventieth minute, and UTS held on for what proved to be a vital three points.
By then you could sense the shape of things. Ajerrar's opener came early enough to set the tone, and FUS responded quickly but without the urgency that might have changed the game. Lotfi's goal gave the visitors hope, though the visitors never quite pinned the hosts back after that. By the time Lahtimi converted his penalty, UTS had tightened things up enough to resist.
And here's the thing — the statistics tell one story while the match told another. FUS Rabat enjoyed 58 per cent possession and registered four shots on target compared to two, yet they could not find a second goal. UTS managed only 42 per cent of the ball but their two shots on target were more clinical. The visitors had more corners and more attacks, but chances went begging when it mattered.
There were seven substitutions across the second half as both managers tried to shift momentum. UTS brought on I. Moutaraji in the forty-first minute and made three changes around the hour mark — Ajerrar, Regragui and Nanah. FUS responded with M. Ashabi and H. Ferdaoussi, while Bakhkhach came off for the hosts in the seventy-fifth minute. The game opened up after that, but neither side could capitalise.
Five yellow cards were shown in total, with Rhailouf and Ferhane both receiving cautions in the seventy-third and seventy-eighth minutes respectively. The match ended with Chaynane picking up a booking in stoppage time, and the final whistle brought relief rather than celebration from either dressing room. This was a first-round fixture where every point carries weight.
On our forecast we had tipped a visitors' win with 41 per cent confidence. The match went another way — UTS resisted the pressure and made the difference when it counted. The hosts now sit in twelfth place ahead of their opponents, and while both sides have played no league games yet, the result suggests the table will not stay static for long.
The scoreline reflects a tight contest where UTS held their nerve after conceding. Three points from the opening round is a foundation, and if they can keep this kind of resilience, they will make life awkward for anyone who comes to Rabat. The deeper squad and the early goal proved decisive — the rest was just background noise.
