By Mark Ogagan
Wydad Athletic Club Casablanca of Morocco have fired their South African head coach, Rulani Mokwena “with immediate effect,” following a frustrating 1-1 draw against Olympic Club Safi in the Botola Pro League on Wednesday evening.
This result marked the team’s sixth consecutive league draw, leaving them in third place and unlikely to secure a CAF Champions League spot for the upcoming season. The decision came after an urgent meeting between Mokwena, club president Hicham Ait Menna, and the board of directors, with reports indicating an immediate termination of his contract.
Mokwena’s time at Wydad thus comes to a dramatic end after months of mixed fortunes. In 2023 he led Sundowns to win the African Football League (AFL) and boasts four South African Premier League titles, the Nedbank Cup, and an MTN8 title with the Brazilians.
A cousin of South African football Legend Jomo Sono, the former Orlando Pirates coach joined Wydad at the start of the 2024/25 season and recorded 11 wins, 11 draws, and four losses in the league. However, the team’s recent run of six straight draws has practically dashed any hopes of a top-two finish in the Botola Pro League.
With only three matches left, Wydad sits third with 45 points, six points behind second-placed AS FAR Rabat. League champions RSB Berkane and AS FAR are now poised to take the two CAF Champions League spots, leaving Wydad on the brink of missing out on Africa’s premier club competition.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Amine Benhachem is expected to step in as Wydad’s interim coach for the last three league games. His immediate task will be to steady the ship and prepare the team for their upcoming participation in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, a tournament Wydad qualified for despite their domestic struggles.
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