Mohamed Madihi celebrates scoring the winner

The Atlas Lions won a disappointing game in Nashville, Tennessee, as the World Cup-bound Americans struggled to find their rhythm.

It was the first match for the US since coach Bruce Arena announced his squad for next month's finals in Germany.

But a hamstring injury to captain Claudio Reyna will have done little to temper Arena's mood.

The goal came when Bouchaib El Moubarki won the ball off Steve Cherundolo and released fellow substitute Madihi who ran unchallenged into the area before beating Kasey Keller with a clinical finish.

"I took a bad touch, and they took advantage of it," Cherundolo said. "Mistakes are a big part of this game."

The US nearly grabbed a stoppage-time equaliser but a blistering free-kick from Bobby Convey went inches wide.

Minus a player or two, Arena fielded what is projected to be his first team for the World Cup with Keller, Eddie Pope, Reyna, Landon Donovan and Brian McBride all starting.

But the US did not produce a shot on target until the 52nd minute when second-half substitute Convey tested goalkeeper Tarek El Jarmouni with a shot from outside the box.

A minute later the home side survived a scare when Talal El Karkouri saw his header off a Zakaria Aboub free-kick go over the bar with Keller clearly beaten.

Morocco, one of Africa's strongest teams, did not qualify for the 32-nation World Cup finals.

USA: Keller, Cherundolo, Gibbs, Onyewu, Pope, O'Brien, Reyna, Beasley, Donovan, Wolff, McBride.
Subs: Howard, Albright, Bocanegra, Mastroeni, Lewis, Dempsey, Johnson, Ching, Conrad, Olsen, Convey, Hahnemann, Bradley.

Morocco: El Jarmouni, Mahdoufi, Ouaddou, El Karkouri, Ben Askar, Regragui, Boussoufa, Alloudi, Aboub, Ramzi, Tarik.
Subs: Lamyaghri, Ajeddou, Diane, El Moubarki, Mesloub, Madihi, Alla, Souari, Trafah.