Morocco kicked off their Africa Cup of Nations campaign in ideal fashion on Sunday night, securing a solid 2-0 win over Comoros in front of a packed crowd at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. Though the result confirmed their status as one of the tournament favorites, the victory wasn’t handed to them easily. The Atlas Lions had to work hard to break down a stubborn Comorian side that defended deep and showed resilience throughout the match.
Coach Walid Regragui opted for a slightly surprising starting lineup, placing Noussair Mazraoui on the right flank while leaving star defender Achraf Hakimi on the bench. In attack, the creative reins were handed to Soufiane Rahimi. From the opening whistle, Morocco made their intentions clear—press high, control possession, and pin their opponents back.
The first real chance came early. In the 10th minute, Brahim Diaz weaved his way into the box and won a penalty. Rahimi stepped up confidently, but his central strike was blocked by Comorian goalkeeper Ali Ahamada Pandor, denying Morocco an early breakthrough.
The Comoros team, known as the “Coelacanths,” chose a cautious approach, sitting deep in a compact shape while looking to strike on the counter. Morocco suffered a setback in the 19th minute when captain Romain Saïss was forced off with an injury. Jawad El Yamiq came on to replace him.
Despite dominating the ball and maintaining fluid movement across the pitch, Morocco struggled to convert their control into clear-cut chances. Just before halftime, Diaz went down again in the box under pressure, but after a VAR review, the referee decided against awarding a second penalty.
After the break, Morocco ramped up the tempo. Three minutes into the second half, Anass Salah-Eddine delivered a sharp cross to Neil El Aynaoui, whose volley just grazed the crossbar. The pressure kept mounting, and finally, the deadlock was broken in the 55th minute. Mazraoui made a powerful run down the right and squared it perfectly for Diaz, who made no mistake this time, calmly slotting the ball home from close range.
Comoros tried to respond quickly. Rafiki Saïd carved out a decent chance, but Moroccan keeper Yassine Bounou was alert and smothered the shot.
From that point forward, Morocco took complete control. In the 74th minute, substitute Ayoub El Kaabi put the game beyond reach with a moment of brilliance—an acrobatic overhead kick off a pinpoint Salah-Eddine cross that flew past the helpless Pandor. The goal not only sealed the win but also served as a statement of Morocco’s attacking flair.
With three points in the bag, Morocco now tops Group A, awaiting the outcome of Monday’s clash between Mali and Zambia at the Mohammed V Complex in Casablanca.
