Hakim Ziyech Morocco 2019Getty Images

Chelsea's Ziyech and Inter Milan's Hakimi top Morocco squad for Ghana and Burkina Faso friendlies

Vahid Halilhodzic has named Chelsea playmaker Hakim Ziyech and Inter Milan defender Achraf Hakimi in Morocco's 26-man squad for the friendly games against Ghana and Burkina Faso.

The North African country will host the Black Stars in Rabat on June 8 and then play Burkina Faso in the same city on June 12.

The national team camp will open on Sunday and Ziyech will be expected to join the rest of his Atlas Lions teammates immediately after the Uefa Champions League final against Manchester City on Saturday.

Article continues below

Belgium-born Ilias Chair, who scored eight goals in 45 Championship matches for Queens Park Rangers this season, is the only new player in Halilhodzic's selection while six players have been drawn up from Moroccan top-flight giants Wydad Casablanca and Raja Casablanca.

The games are expected to get the Atlas Lions prepared for the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers which have been postponed to September.

Morocco are paired with Guinea, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau in Group I.

Two months ago, they sealed their qualification for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon without losing a match as they finished ahead of Mauritania, Burundi and Central African Republic in their group.

After the match on June 8, Ghana will play Ivory Coast in another friendly encounter scheduled in Cape Coast on June 12.

Full List.

Goalkeepers: Anas Zniti (Raja Casablanca); Monir El Kajoui (Hatayspor/Turkey); Reda Tagnaouti (Wydad Casablanca); Yassine Bounou (Sevilla FC/Spain).

Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (Inter Milan/Italy); Achraf Lazaar (Watford/England); Adam Masina (Watford/England); Ayoub El Amloud (Wydad Casablanca); Romain Saiss (Wolverhampton/England) Jawad El Yamiq (Real Valladolid/Spain); Nayed Aguerd (Rennes/France); Samy Mmaee (Ferencvaros/Hungary); Sofian Chakla (Getafe/Spain).

Midfielders: Adel Taarabt (Benfica/Portugal); Aymen Barkok (Eintracht Frankfurt/Germany); Ilyas Chair (Queens Park Rangers/ England); Selim Amallah (Standard Liege/Belgium); Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina/Italy; Yahya Jabrane (Wydad Casablanca).

Forwards: Achraf Bencharki (Zamalek/Egypt); Ayoub El Kaabi (Wydad Casablanca); Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea/England); Munir El Haddadi (Sevilla FC/Spain); Soufiane Rahimi (Raja Casablanca); Yousef En-Nesyri (Sevilla/Spain); Zakaria Aboukhlal (AZ Alkmaar/ Netherlands).

Advertisement