AFCON HERO ELKAABI : AFRICA CUP

RABAT : With captain Achraf Hakimi hardly featuring during the Africa Cup of Nations group stage as he recovers from an injury, Ayoub has emerged as the hero of the tournament so far for the host country.

While Hakimi, the African footballer of the year, has made just one substitute appearance up to now, EL Kaabi came off the bench to seal Morocco's 2-0 win over Comoros in the opening game with a stunning overhead kick.

That moment of magic earned the 32-year-old a place in the starting lineup for next match, a 1-1 draw with Mali.

While EL Kaabi failed to repeat his goal scoring heroics on what was a more frustrating occasion for a much hyped Moroccan team, he was back at it in Monday's 3-0 victory against Zambia which allowed the  Atlas Lions to wrap up first place in Group A and a last-16 tie against Tanzania.

The World Students Society thanks Reuters.