Morocco coach ‘taking no risks’ with Hakimi fitness

RABAT: Morocco coach Walid Regragui said Sunday he would continue to be “very careful” with star man Achraf Hakimi at the Africa Cup of Nations as the Paris Saint-Germain full-back recovers from an ankle injury.

Regragui suggested on the eve of the tournament’s opening game against Comoros that Hakimi was fit, but in the end the Morocco captain played no part in Sunday’s 2-0 win in Rabat.

Hakimi has not played since suffering an ankle injury in action for PSG against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on November 4, and Manchester United’s Noussair Mazraoui started instead at right-back for Morocco against Comoros.

“We need Hakimi because he is the best player in Africa and one of the best in the world and no team can afford to be without their best player, but Mazraoui is a fantastic player,” Regragui said.

“He has different qualities to Achraf, although I think Achraf would have helped us today.

“We didn’t want to take a risk with Achraf. We are being very careful with him so we will see how he is in the next 48 hours to see if he can start against Mali.

“We are convinced he will play during the AFCON and we are waiting patiently for him.”

Morocco beat Comoros in the tournament’s opening match thanks to second-half goals by Brahim Diaz – set up by Mazraoui – and Ayoub El Kaabi after Soufiane Rahimi had an early penalty saved.

The result extended their world-record winning run to 19 matches and set the Cup of Nations hosts up for their next game against Mali in Rabat on Friday.

“It is a good start to the competition for us, although we are not getting carried away,” Regragui said.

“Mali will be a different match. They have a lot of top-level players, and maybe we will have less possession, so it will be a real test for us both.”

Stefano Cusin, the Italian coach of minnows Comoros, said he was proud of how his team competed against the top-ranked nation in Africa.

“I thought we were really solid defensively and well organised tactically. I am very proud of my players – we have a lot of youngsters but I think we gave a good impression of Comoros,” he said.

“Morocco are a very strong team so it is not a problem to say that Morocco are better than us – this is the reality.

“Morocco are the best team in Africa and one of the best in the world. It is not an embarrassment for us to lose to them.”