Morocco’s Boufal out of AFCON 2017 with a Knee Injury

Southampton midfielder Sofiane Boufal has withdrawn from Morocco’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) squad with a knee injury.

The 23-year-old was sent home on Sunday from a training camp, with a replacement yet to be named.

“Boufal has left after examination of his injury showed he would not be capable of playing,’’ the national team said in a statement.

Morocco have already lost midfielders Younes Belhanda, Oussame Tannane and Watford’s Nordin Amrabat to injuries.

They play Finland in a friendly on Tuesday before heading to the tournament in Gabon, where their first match is against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Oyem on Jan. 16