NEW YORK, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi will stand trial on a rape charge after French prosecutors on Friday rejected the Paris Saint-Germain defender's appeal to have the case dismissed.
The news comes in the run-up to Morocco's vital World Cup Group C match against Scotland.
Hakimi is accused of raping a 24-year-old woman at his home in Paris in 2023, with the initial investigation opening in March of that year.
The judge overseeing the case sent Hakimi to trial in February this year, although the 27-year-old, who has consistently denied the charges, had sought to have the case thrown out.
Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey is also competing at this summer's World Cup while awaiting trial on rape allegations, which led to Canadian authorities denying him entry to the country for Ghana's 1-0 win over Panama. ■