Achraf Hakimi, Morocco’s prominent right-back, has sincerely apologized for his missed penalty, a pivotal moment that resulted in Morocco’s exit from the AFCON round of 16 against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana on Tuesday.
In an Instagram post, Hakimi expressed the profound difficulty and sadness of the day due to Morocco’s elimination. He apologized for the missed penalty, acknowledging the responsibility he took to assist the team, despite its unfortunate outcome.
The 25-year-old star right-back faced intense pressure in the 84th minute of the round of 16 match. Tasked with taking a penalty kick to equalize against South Africa, Hakimi aimed to propel Morocco towards the AFCON quarter-finals. However, the PSG star couldn’t convert the crucial penalty. Subsequently, South Africa compounded the heartbreak for Moroccan fans by scoring a second goal in the dying minutes of added time, as the Atlas Lions desperately sought a last-ditch equalizer.
Aujourd'hui est un jour très difficile et triste pour notre élimination. Je tiens à m'excuser pour le penalty, j'ai pris la responsabilité d'aider l'équipe, mais malheureusement cela n'a pas fonctionné. Je tiens à remercier tout le peuple marocain pour son soutien, en particulier… pic.twitter.com/Q9IP5FMYXY
— Achraf Hakimi (@AchrafHakimi) January 31, 2024
The Moroccan fans were left in disbelief after the defeat, grappling with a mix of disappointment and confusion over another early AFCON exit for the highly-rated Moroccan team, considered among this year’s top contenders for the continental crown.
Expressing gratitude on Instagram, the PSG player thanked the Moroccan people for their support, especially those who traveled to Ivory Coast. In a resilient tone, he conveyed a message of resilience, pledging to rise and come back stronger.
Hakimi also extended heartfelt support to Moroccan winger Amine Adli, who tragically lost his brother before the tournament. Acknowledging Adli’s resilience, Hakimi expressed pride and love for his teammate.
Despite the pain of the loss to South Africa, Hakimi exemplified fair play by extending good wishes to Bafana Bafana for the remainder of the competition.
“Dima Maghrib! And good luck to the South African national team for the rest of the competition” he conveyed.
