Hakimi: Morocco will ‘try our best’ to win AFCON 2023 after kind draw

Morocco star Achraf Hakimi said his side will “try our best to win” the Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 after being handed a favourable group stage draw on Thursday.

The World Cup semi-finalists were drawn against DR Congo, Tanzania and Zambia in Group F, representing a smoother path to the knock-out phase.

And Hakimi, part of the Atlas Lions squad that made history in Qatar, is targeting triumph when Morocco chase just their second AFCON title in Cote d’Ivoire.

“We have a good team, a good group and we will do our best to win,” said the Paris St-Germain full-back after conducting the draw in Abidjan.

“We will try to do our best during this AFCON, similar to what we did in the World Cup.”

Morocco stunned Belgium, Spain and Portugal en route to becoming the first ever African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final last December.

Although Group F appears navigable, Hakimi knows continental heavyweights like Senegal and Egypt represent major hurdles if Morocco are to be crowned champions.

The tournament takes place from 13 January to 11 February 2023, using six venues across host nation Ivory Coast including new stadiums in Abidjan, Korhogo and San Pedro.

It represents the third straight AFCON to feature an expanded 24-team format after recent editions in Cameroon and Egypt.

Morocco will arrive with lofty ambitions after their remarkable World Cup heroics, intent on translating their historic run into a landmark triumph.