Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi has shared the thought process behind the decisive penalty that secured the Atlas Lions’ place in the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a tense semi-final against Nigeria.

The match at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat ended 0-0 after 120 minutes, leading to a penalty shootout where Morocco held their nerve to win 4-2, igniting jubilant celebrations among the home fans.

Hakimi, who converted Morocco’s fourth spot-kick, revealed that he had carefully studied Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali before taking his shot.

“At that moment, many thoughts ran through my mind; I remembered the penalty in Ivory Coast, when I wanted to help my team but missed,” Hakimi, 27, said. “I watched the goalkeeper closely, seeing how he dived on my teammates’ shots, then I noticed a gap and took my chance. The shot went in perfectly.”

The semi-final itself was tense but largely uneventful, with few clear chances and disciplined defending from both sides, making penalties inevitable. Veteran Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou became the hero, saving two crucial penalties from Bruno Onyemaechi and Samuel Chukwueze.

Hakimi, the current African Footballer of the Year and Paris Saint-Germain star, praised the trust placed in him by the coaching staff and teammates.

“Everyone trusted me, especially the coach, and I am grateful for that. We worked hard on this aspect, and today, thank God, the ball went in,” he added.

The win sets up a thrilling AFCON 2025 final between Morocco and Senegal’s Teranga Lions, scheduled for 8 p.m. on Sunday, January 18, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

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