Host nation Morocco overcome a spirited problem by Africa Cup of Nations minnows Comoros to kick off the match.
Printed On 22 Dec 2025
Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) hosts Morocco overcame a nervy begin to beat the Comoros 2-0 within the match’s opening sport on Sunday, after Brahim Diaz and substitute Ayoub El Kaabi scored second-half targets.
It was a far-from-convincing exhibiting from the extremely fancied Morocco, who’re 97 locations above the small Indian Ocean island nation on the planet rankings and needed to toil arduous for the factors within the rain at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
Beneficial Tales
listing of 4 gadgetsfinish of listing
Morocco squandered an early penalty and had been goalless at halftime, regardless of dominating possession, ultimately breaking the impasse within the fifty fifth minute, when Noussair Mazraoui did effectively to maintain the ball from going out of play earlier than passing it sq. for Diaz to side-foot house.
El Kaabi scored a trademark bicycle kick objective within the 74th minute, 10 minutes after approaching in its place, to ease the strain.
Morocco seemed initially to be labouring beneath a heavy burden of expectation, and tiny Comoros comfortably held them at bay earlier than the superior firepower of the hosts ensured victory.
The hosts might have been forward as early because the eleventh minute after a delicate penalty was awarded for a problem by Iyad Mohamed on Diaz. However Soufiane Rahimi hit the spot kick straight down the center, putting the knee of goalkeeper Yannick Pandor and watching the ball loop away to security.
However they ultimately broke down the resistance, as Diaz received deserved rewards for his continuous probing and El Kaabi’s objective ensured a decent scoreline.
Pandor made a number of different good stops to maintain down the rating within the closing phases as his teammates started to tire, though Comoros had an opportunity for an equaliser 4 minutes after Diaz’s objective, however Rafiki Stated shot straight at Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou of their first probability of the match.
‘Tough’ opening sport
“The opening sport is all the time troublesome, however we got here good within the second half,” stated Morocco coach Walid Regragui.
Morocco prolonged their record-breaking run of successive victories by a nationwide crew to 19. In October, they went previous the earlier better of 15, set by Spain from 2008-09.
There will likely be concern within the house camp, nonetheless, after captain Romain Saiss limped off after 18 minutes, with the centre again leaving the sphere in tears. He spent the primary half of the 12 months sidelined by ankle surgical procedure and solely final month returned to the nationwide aspect after a 12 months’s absence.
Mali and Zambia meet on Monday within the subsequent Group A conflict in Casablanca on the second day of the monthlong match. There are additionally two Group B matches as Angola meet South Africa in Marrakesh, and Mohamed Salah leads Egypt in opposition to Zimbabwe in Agadir.
