Nantes midfielder Amine Harit has been named in Morocco's starting lineup to face Iran in the absence of Nabil Dirara.

The 20-year-old is expected to start in a wide position for the Atlas Lions, who are competing in the World Cup for the first time in two decades.

Morocco boss Herve Renard had a big decision to make up top, where in-form striker Ayoub El Kaabi is selected over Khalid Boutaib - the man whose goals played a big part in his side's qualification.

Carlos Queiroz's Iran side will be led by Sardar Azmoun, meanwhile, with the Rubin Kazin striker netting five times in the Russian Premier League last season.

Young midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi misses out on selection due to suspension, however, so captain Masoud Shojaei will be used in the middle.

Further forward, Alireza Jahanbakhsh will provide Iran's biggest goal threat after netting 21 times for club side AZ last term to top the Eredivisie scoring charts.

Morocco: Munir; Amrabat, Benatia, Saiss, Achraf; El Ahmadi; Belhanda, Harit, Boussoufa, Ziyech; El Kaabi
Subs: Bounou, Mendyl, Da Costa, Fajar, Boutaib, Bennasser, Dirar, En-Nesyri, Bouhaddouz, Amrabat, Tagnaouti, Carcela

Iran: Beiranvand; Hajisafi, Cheshmi, Pouraliganji, Rezaeian; Shojaei, Ebrahimi; Amiri, Ansarifard, Jahanbaksh; Azmoun
Subs: Torabi, Mohammadi, Rashid, Khanzadeh, Ghoddos, Montazeri, Reza, Mehdi, Hosseini, Dejagah, Abedzadeh, Ezatolahi

Follow all of the action as it unfolds at the ​Krestovsky Stadium with Sports Mole's live text coverage right here.

Written by
Daniel Lewis