IRT Tanger Beat USF Fes 3-1 in a Dominant Away Display

In a match that promised competitive tension but delivered a clear class gap, IRT Tanger traveled to Fes on February 1, 2020, and came away with a decisive 3-1 win over USF Fes in the Moroccan Super League. The final set scores read 25-20, 25-18, 22-25, and 25-16, a result that underlined the visitors' superiority in nearly every technical aspect of the game.

USF Fes entered the match hoping to use home-court advantage as a launching pad. But IRT Tanger had other ideas. From the first whistle, their attacking efficiency at the net and stable service line put pressure on USF’s passing, forcing the home side into a reactive game plan that rarely troubled the visitors.

Set-by-Set Breakdown

The opening set was a tight affair for the first 15 points, with both teams testing each other from the serve and in the block. However, IRT Tanger’s outside hitters found rhythm late, exploiting mismatches on the left side. A 5-1 run closed the set at 25-20 and set the tone for the night.

IRT continued their climb in the second set. Their middle blockers read USF’s quick attacks perfectly, recording three early blocks. USF Fes had no answer to the serve pressure that followed, and the set slipped away with relative ease, 25-18. At that point, it looked like a whitewash was on the cards.

USF Fes showed resilience in the third set. They changed their passing scheme and started pushing the ball deeper into the court, which allowed their setter to distribute more varied and faster sets. It worked—USF took the set 25-22, giving the home fans a glimmer of hope.

Yet any hopes of a comeback were crushed in the fourth. IRT Tanger immediately restored order with their best serving sequence of the match. They raced to a 10-3 lead and never allowed USF back into the contest. A 25-16 final set capped off a professional road performance.

Key Factors Behind IRT Tanger's Success

• Serving: IRT Tanger registered seven aces, with their setter and opposite hitter leading the way.
• Blocking: The Tanger block scored 11 points, several of them coming at critical moments in the first and second sets.
• Receiving: Their serve receive was stable, allowing a fluid offense even against USF’s most aggressive serves.

Standout Players

Hicham Tazi was the star for IRT Tanger, finishing with 16 points through a variety of spike positions. He was particularly lethal in transition, turning defense into points with ease. Supporting him was middle blocker Mehdi El Khatib, who contributed five blocks and shut down USF’s middle attack.

For USF Fes, the opposite hitter Anas Mayara showed flashes of brilliance, recording 12 points, but too many of his attacks came in isolation. The home side’s lack of a second reliable scoring option ultimately proved fatal.

League Context

With this win, IRT Tanger reinforced their position in the upper half of the Super League standings. For USF Fes, the defeat was another reminder of the gap that remains between them and the top teams. The match also showed that away victories are not simply the result of effort—they are built through consistent serving, smart blocking, and clinical finishing.

For volleyball fans, this was a night of insight: when IRT Tanger maintain discipline in their system, they can beat anyone on the Super League circuit. The challenge now for USF Fes is to learn from the defeat and grow before the return fixture.