Arabs & Arabian Records Aggregator. Chronicler. Milestones of the 25 Countries of the Arabic Speaking World (official / co-official). AGCC. MENA. Global. Ist's to Top 10's. Records. Read & Enjoy./ www.arabianrecords.org
Moroccan side RS Berkane won their second African Confederation Cup title in three years after beating South Africa’s Orlando Pirates 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw at Nigeria’s Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Friday 20th May.
Brahim El Bahraoui scored the winning penalty after Pirates keeper Richard Ofori, who had scored his side’s fourth spot kick, failed to save any of Berkane’s efforts.
Winger Thembinkosi Lorch turned from hero to zero as Pirates missed out on their maiden Confederation Cup triumph after also losing in the 2015 final.
He scored a bizarre 117th-minute equaliser to cancel out Youssef El Fahli’s penalty in the first half of extra time but had his effort blocked by keeper Hamza Hamiani in the shootout.
Hamiani was Berkane’s standout performer, producing some superb saves to keep his side in the game as Pirates looked the better side throughout.
Berkane lost on penalties to Egypt’s Zamalek in the 2019 final but won the trophy a year later. Another Moroccan side, Raja Casablanca, clinched the title last year.
Key saves
Hamiani kept out a low, angled effort from striker Kwame Peprah on 34 minutes before producing an even better save to smother a close-range effort from Deon Kavendji early in the second half, denying Orlando a certain goal.
He also comfortably collected a tame shot from Lorch, who was well-positioned to score following some slack defending.
Berkane, who rarely threatened, took the lead in the 97th minute when Pirates substitute Thabang Monare, who had just been on the pitch for a few minutes, clumsily stuck out a leg to foul an opponent following a corner.
El Fahli sent keeper Ofori the wrong way with a low effort as Berkane thought they had the match dead and buried.
But Pirates did not give up, with Tshegofatso Mabasa heading just wide from a corner before Lorch brought them level three minutes from the end of extra time.
After his initial effort was blocked by the defence, Mabasa collected the loose ball just inside the area and sent a stray pass that somehow eluded all defenders and found its way into the bottom corner past Hamiani, who had been unsighted by his own defence.
But Berkane had the last laugh in the shootout, converting all of their kicks, as Moroccan teams made it a hat-trick of straight Confederation Cup triumphs.
source/content: english.ahram.org.eg
_____________
Morocco s RS Berkane beat Orlando Pirates in the African Confederation Cup final on Friday (Photo: Pirates official Twitter account)
Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi continues his phenomenal career. After making headlines in Italy’s Serie A with Inter Milan, when he won the league.
The Moroccan international player has continued to impress since his arrival at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) during the last summer transfer window.
Achraf Hakimi was named the best Arab player in the French Ligue 1 Uber Eats for the month of August.
The 22-year-old received the award following his outstanding performance wearing PSG’s jersey throughout the matches of last month. The fans were particularly taken by his pace and the great chemistry he has while playing alongside Kylian Mbappe.
In a fan poll sponsored by the official account of Ligue 1 on Facebook, the Moroccan international player ranked first after getting the majority of the votes ahead of his compatriot and Angers SCO midfielder Sofiane Boufal and Algeria’s Andy Delort.
This award comes days after the Moroccan Professional Footballers Union (UMFP) awarded Achraf Hakimi the trophy for the Best Moroccan Player in Foreign Leagues for the 2020-2021 season.
As part of its plans to clinch the Champions League title, PSG paid €71 million (add-ons included) to sign the versatile right-back, making him the most expensive defender in the club’s history.
After an impressive journey with Inter Milan, the football player has his sights set on other big challenges with PSG.
source/contents: moroccoworldnews.com
__________
Moroccan football player Achraf Hakimi. / pix: moroccoworldnews.com
The UNICEF office in Morocco announced the appointment of Moroccan international football star Achraf Hakimi as children’s rights champion.
Hakimi, 22, is triumphing not only in his humanitarian works but also in his football career.
The football player is a key element in both his international club Inter Milan and Morocco’s national team.
UNICEF launched the initiative to appoint public figures from all fields, including arts, academics, and sports among others to engage in its efforts to help raise awareness of children’s rights.
Champions for Children are prominent individuals from arts, music, academics, ICT, sports, community-based organizations, or other fields who help to raise awareness of children’s rights.
The initiative is in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is the “most widely ratified human rights treaty in history,” UNICEF said.
source/content: moroccoworldnews.com
___________________
pix: Moroccan football player Achraf Hakimi. Photo: UNICEF
Achraf Hakimi Mouch (aka) Achraf Hakimi. Professional International Football Player.
The German Bundesliga football league has named the International Football player Achraf Hakimi as the fastest player in Germany with a record speed of 36.49 km/h (22.67 miles/h)
Achraf Hakimi plays as full-back for Serie A club – Inter Milan . He is on loan to Borussia Dortmund. He is also a key player in the National Football team of Morocco.
______________
pix; en.wikipedia.org / Hakimi with Morocco at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
