Morocco’s star player, Achraf Hakimi, has finally spoken out after his crucial penalty miss against South Africa in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Hakimi’s penalty miss occurred in the 85th minute, when he had the chance to equalize the score against Bafana Bafana, who were leading 1-0 at the time.
This missed opportunity proved to be a turning point for South Africa, as they gained momentum and ultimately secured a victory in stoppage time.
The unexpected outcome has been regarded as one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
Morocco entered the competition as the top contender to win the title, and they proved themselves in the group stages, where they faced little difficulty.
However, their progress was halted when they faced a determined Bafana Bafana team, with defenders Mothobi Mvala and Grant Kekana successfully keeping the Moroccans from scoring.
Hakimi, who was arguably the standout player for Morocco in the Afcon, took to social media to send a message to his country and Bafana.
He said,
“Today is a very difficult and sad day for our elimination. Apologies for the penalty; I took the responsibility of helping the team, but unfortunately, it didn’t work,” Hakimi said in an Instagram post.
“I want to thank all the Moroccan people for their support, especially all the people who came to Ivory Coast. We will rise and come back stronger from now on! God willing.”
“What about you my brother, @amine_ad10. (Amine Adli) After all you’ve been through, you came and gave it all for your country, we are so proud of you! I love you so much brother Morocco is always! (stronger) And good luck to the South African national team for the rest of the competition,” he added.
The 25-year-old player will be joining his former team, Paris Saint Germain, as they get ready for a League 1 match against Lebo Mothiba’s Strasbourg. On the other hand, South Africa, who defeated Morocco, will face the strong Cape Verde team in their quarter-final match this Saturday.
