LIBREVILLE, Gabon – Striker Marouane Chamakh won’t train with the Morocco squad at the African Cup of Nations on Wednesday after picking up a slight fever.
Coach Eric Gerets told The Associated Press that the Arsenal forward won’t travel to the training ground in the Gabonese capital Libreville and would be assessed again on Thursday .
Asked what the illness was, Gerets said he wasn’t sure yet but suggested it was not serious — although Chamakh is still in doubt for Morocco’s now-crucial second Group C game against tournament co-host Gabon on Friday.
“Yes, that’s right, he had a bit of a fever,” Gerets said at the team hotel. “He won’t be training today and we’ll see how he is tomorrow. It could be a lot of things. These things happen.”
Chamakh started in Morocco’s surprise 2-1 loss to Tunisia at Libreville’s Stade de l’Amitie on Monday. That result made the game against home team Gabon — which impressively beat Niger 2-0 in its opener — a must-win match for Gerets’ team.
