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