Achraf Hakimi Reveals How He Outsmarted Stanley Nwabali To Send Morocco To AFCON Final

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Morocco captain, Achraf Hakimi, has revealed the calm calculation behind the decisive penalty that carried the Atlas Lions past Nigeria and into the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The semi-final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat finished goalless after 120 minutes before the hosts held their nerve to win 4-2 on penalties, sparking wild celebrations among the home supporters.

Achraf Hakimi, who stepped up to convert Morocco’s fourth kick in the shoot-out, admitted he had studied Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali closely before striking the ball.

Hakimi, 27, said the moment was loaded with emotion, bringing back memories of a previous penalty miss that had haunted him.

“Al Hamdulillah [Thank God]. At that moment, many things went through my head, I won’t deny it; I relived many memories, and I remembered the penalty in Ivory Coast, when I wanted to help my team and unfortunately I didn’t score it,” Hakimi said.

“I was watching the goalkeeper [Stanley Nwabali] a bit, how he was diving on my teammates’ shots, then I saw there was space and the shot went in very well.”

The match itself promised fireworks but never truly caught light. Chances were scarce, tempers were kept in check, and it soon became clear that penalties would be needed to separate the two sides.

Veteran goalkeeper Yassine Bounou emerged as Morocco’s match-winner, producing two crucial saves to deny Bruno Onyemaechi and Samuel Chukwueze.

Hakimi, the reigning African Footballer of the Year and a key figure for Paris Saint-Germain, later spoke about the trust placed in him by the coaching staff and his teammates.

“Everyone trusted me, starting with the coach, whom I thank. We worked hard and I developed this aspect, and today, thank God, the ball went in,” he added.

The victory sends Morocco into a mouth-watering final clash against Senegal’s Teranga Lions, set for 8 p.m. on Sunday, 18 January, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

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