By Nick Said
HOUSTON, July 3 (Reuters) - Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi has backed playmaker Brahim Diaz to play a leading role in Saturday's World Cup round-of-16 clash with Canada in Houston and help his side create organised chaos for their opponents to contend with.
Diaz was a star of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, ending as tournament top-scorer with five goals, but has failed to find the back of the net so far at the World Cup.
Ouahbi said there is much work that Diaz does in a game that goes unrecognised,
however, and he is equally important to the team in defence and attack.
"He is also helping a lot on defence," the coach told reporters in Houston on Friday. "With major players, we are always expecting more from them, but he does not need to be a game-changer every single day.
"He is in a good place and is one of our best players. He is relaxed, and so am I."
Ouahbi said the Real Madrid forward is crucial to how his side set up for matches.
"We try to create organised chaos through increased mobility. Diaz has the freedom to do this. He has played a lot since the Africa Cup of Nations, maybe he is not as fresh as back then," the coach said.
"But he has two assists to his name, and hopefully he will start to also score goals."
Ouahbi only took over the side in March but said it was easy to implement his game-plan, which relies on the attributes most Moroccan players share.
"They have technical quality and are very good with the ball. But they also know how to run for a long time. We had to find a game-plan to match the type of players we have, which is why we play at such speed," he added.
Canada coach Jesse Marsch has spoken of his side being underdogs in the match, but Ouahbi suggested it would be a tight affair, and that if his side were slightly off their game, it could spell disaster.
"It is about not being tentative in our approach, and if we are not good enough, we are going home, regardless of who we are playing," he said.
"I am a very honest person and I told the players it will be the most challenging game in the World Cup so far. I am rarely mistaken on this."
(Reporting by Nick SaidEditing by Christian Radnedge)
