CODM Meknu00e8s
Kawkab Marrakech Dig Deep for Botola Pro Triumph
The plastic seats were still vibrating with the aftershock of 83 minutes of frustration when Soufiane Essallami wrote himself into Kawkab Marrakech folklore, pouncing to seal a 1-0 away victory over CODM Meknès in Botola Pro’s second round.
Meknès’ Discipline Unravels in Tense Stalemate
Three yellow cards before halftime told the story of Meknès’ growing desperation. Samir El Morsli’s clumsy lunge after half an hour set the tone, Khalid El Bounagate following suit in stoppage time. Kawkab weren’t innocent – Yassine Zghoudi seeing yellow for hauling back a breaking midfielder – but they mastered the dark arts better.
When El Bounagate collected his second booking in the 93rd minute for a cynical body check, reducing Meknès to ten men, it merely rubber-stamped what Essallami’s strike had already decided.
Essallami’s Moment Turns Botola Pro Tide
The 83rd-minute winner came against the run of Meknès’ second-half pressure. A loose ball bounced temptingly 25 yards out and Essallami – quiet until then – connected sweetly, the strike skidding past a rooted goalkeeper before he’d even finished his celebration. His yellow card two minutes later for ripping his shirt off in euphoria was the last act of a man who knew he’d won the game.
Kawkab’s four late substitutions – including hooking goalscorer Essallami immediately – screamed game management. By contrast, Meknès’ triple change on 66 minutes backfired, disrupting their rhythm just as Kawkab’s defense grew leggy.
Botola Pro Consequences of a Single Moment
For Kawkab Marrakech, this smash-and-grab means four points from two games – the hallmarks of potential dark horses. Meknès? The air already feels thinner after back-to-back blanks. When your captain gets sent off chasing shadows in stoppage time, the warning signs flash amber.
Essallami wheeled away towards the Kawkab ultras like a man who’d just lifted a trophy. In Botola Pro’s marathon, sometimes one moment is all it takes to change everything.
Key Moments
83′ ⚽ Kawkab Marrakech — S. Essallami
90+3′ 🟥 CODM Meknès — K. El Bounagate sent off
