Morocco’s Sofiane Boufal will be absent from the crucial Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 clash against South Africa, as confirmed by head coach Walid Regragui in a pre-match press conference on Monday.
Boufal, who plays for the Qatar Stars League club Al-Rayyan, sustained an ankle injury, ruling him out for the remainder of the tournament.
Additionally, there is uncertainty surrounding Hakim Ziyech’s match fitness for the high-stakes encounter. Ziyech, on loan at Galatasaray from Chelsea, faced a knee injury after scoring against Zambia in the last group match.
Recent reports suggest that Ziyech, after individual training, is working towards full fitness. Coach Regragui emphasized the team’s readiness for the challenging match, urging players to avoid costly mistakes.
He stressed the importance of precision in the game against Bafana Bafana, stating, “We have no room for error; any mistake will eliminate us from the competition.” Regragui highlighted that the Atlas Lions are prepared for this “tough game.”
Morocco, now the sole remaining Arab country in the competition, has a chance to progress to the finals following the elimination of defending champions Senegal in a post-match penalty shootout against hosts Cote d’Ivoire.
