Morocco made a confident start to their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 campaign with a 2–0 win over Comoros in the tournament’s opening match, thrilling home fans at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
The Group A encounter marked the official kickoff of the continental showpiece, with the host nation under pressure to deliver a strong opening performance against a Comoros side determined to frustrate their more fancied opponents.
Morocco dominated possession from the early stages and pushed forward with intent, creating several chances in the first half. Their best opportunity came in the 10th minute when they were awarded a penalty following a foul in the box.
However, Soufiane Rahimi failed to convert from the spot as Comoros goalkeeper Yannick Pandor produced an impressive save, keeping the score level and briefly silencing the home crowd.
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Despite sustained pressure from the Atlas Lions, Comoros defended resolutely and went into the halftime break with the scoreline still goalless, having limited Morocco to half chances.
The breakthrough eventually arrived in the 55th minute when Brahim Díaz finished calmly from close range after connecting with a low cross from Noussair Mazraoui, giving Morocco a deserved lead.
The goal opened up the game, allowing Morocco to play with greater confidence and fluency as they continued to probe the Comoros defence in search of a second goal.
That second goal came in spectacular fashion in the 74th minute, as substitute Ayoub El Kaabi executed an acrobatic bicycle kick inside the penalty area to double Morocco’s advantage and ignite celebrations across the stadium.
Comoros struggled to respond after conceding the second goal, while Morocco managed the remainder of the match with composure, seeing out the game without conceding a clear opportunity.
The victory places Morocco in a strong position at the top of Group A after the first round of matches, as the hosts turn their attention to their next fixture with renewed confidence, while Comoros will look to regroup ahead of their upcoming clash as AFCON 2025 continues.
