Morocco eye quarters at 2017 Africa Cup of Nations

Morocco coach Herve Renard said he is optimistic that his soccer squad will proceed to the quarterfinals of this year's Africa Nations Cup (CAN), which runs from Jan. 14 to Feb. 5, local media reported on Friday.

Qualification for the quarter-finals of the African Cup is a major priority, Renard said at a press conference held on the sidelines of the preparatory training of the Atlas Lions, deeming qualification as a "personal challenge," the news site Alyaoum24.com said.

"We will do our best to achieve better results based on the quality of our abilities and skills," he said, stressing the need to maintain a positive spirit in spite of the "hard blows" that the Moroccan team suffered due to the unavailability of some players because of injuries.

The national manager pointed out that preparation work going well in the Emirati city of Al-Ain, and that players are undertaking their training with a sense of responsibility.

On Wednesday, Renard announced the final 23-man squad for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

Despite the injury of Ligue 1-leading Nice's star player Younes Belhanda, several old names were included into the squad, like Juventus's Mehdi Benatia, Watford's Noureddine Amrabat and Southampton's Soufiane

Striker Aziz Bouhaddouz, who plays for German second division club St Pauli, comes on as a late replacement to Belhanda.

Morocco, who won the African championship in 1976, play in Group C at the finals in Gabon, starting against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Oyem on Jan. 16. Enditem