Hakimi to feature in Morocco's final AFCON group game

Rabat: African player of the year Achraf Hakimi will make his first appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations when hosts Morocco play Zambia on Monday,...

Rabat: African player of the year Achraf Hakimi will make his first appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations when hosts Morocco play Zambia on Monday, coach Walid Regragui confirmed.

"What he has done to come back is extraordinary. What I can say is that Achraf will play tomorrow," Regragui said Sunday in Rabat, on the eve of Morocco's last group game.

"Whether he starts or not it will be his first match at the AFCON.

"What we want -- because we want to go as far as possible -- is that Achraf progresses with the team and that we can keep him for the whole competition."

Hakimi has not played since suffering an ankle injury in action for Paris Saint-Germain at the beginning of November and was an unused substitute in Morocco's first two matches at the Cup of Nations.