Morocco Open AFCON Campaign With 2–0 Win Over Comoros

• Morocco began their AFCON campaign with a 2–0 victory over Comoros, as second-half goals from Brahim Diaz and Ayoub El Kaabi secured a winning start for the hosts.

Hosts Morocco began their Africa Cup of Nations campaign on a winning note on Sunday night, defeating Comoros 2–0 in the tournament’s opening match in Rabat.

Second-half goals from Brahim Diaz and substitute Ayoub El Kaabi sealed the victory for the Atlas Lions after a frustrating first half in which Soufiane Rahimi missed a penalty. Diaz broke the deadlock 10 minutes after the restart, firing home from close range at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, before El Kaabi doubled the lead with a spectacular overhead kick.

The win, achieved on a wet and chilly evening, puts Morocco in a strong position ahead of tougher Group A fixtures against Mali and Zambia. It also extended their world-record winning streak to 19 consecutive matches, with Morocco currently ranked 11th in the world by FIFA — the highest-ranked team in Africa.

Speaking after the match, head coach Walid Regragui said the pressure of playing the opening game as hosts made the encounter more difficult than it appeared.

“The match went as we thought it would, because the opening game is always difficult for the host nation due to all the expectation,” Regragui said.
“We have been preparing for this for two years so there was a lot of tension.
“The 2-0 scoreline is well deserved, and we could even have scored a third had we not relaxed a little in the last five minutes.”

The match was watched by a crowd of 60,180, with Moroccan Crown Prince Moulay Hassan and FIFA president Gianni Infantino in attendance. Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi remained on the bench throughout the game as a precaution, having recently returned from an ankle injury.

“We didn’t want to take any risk with Achraf. We are being very careful with him,” Regragui added.

Morocco had an early chance to take control when they were awarded a penalty in the 10th minute after Diaz was fouled in the box. However, Comoros goalkeeper Yannick Pandor saved Rahimi’s spot-kick, keeping the underdogs in the contest until half-time.

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Comoros, ranked 108th in the world, defended resolutely in the opening period but eventually succumbed after the break. The breakthrough came in the 55th minute when Noussair Mazraoui squared the ball across the box for Diaz to finish.

El Kaabi then produced the moment of the night, connecting brilliantly with a cross from Anass Salah-Eddine to score with an acrobatic bicycle kick and seal the result.

Morocco will face Mali in their next Group A match on Friday, while Mali open their campaign against Zambia on Monday. Elsewhere in the tournament, South Africa meet Angola, and Egypt — seven-time champions — begin their quest against Zimbabwe.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will conclude with the final in Rabat on January 18.