Morocco Starts Africa Cup of Nations Campaign with 2-0 Win Over Comoros

Morocco Starts Africa Cup of Nations Campaign with 2-0 Win Over Comoros

Brahim Diaz and Ayoub El Kaabi score as Atlas Lions extend record-winning run

Morocco got their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 campaign off to a winning start by defeating Comoros 2-0 in the tournament opener at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Sunday.

The victory saw Brahim Diaz open the scoring 10 minutes after the interval, following a frustrating first half in which Soufiane Rahimi had a penalty saved by Comoros goalkeeper Yannick Pandor. Substitute Ayoub El Kaabi then sealed the win with a spectacular overhead bicycle kick, thrilling the crowd of 60,180, which included Crown Prince Moulay Hassan and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Morocco, ranked 11th in the FIFA world rankings, extended their world-record winning streak to 19 consecutive matches, despite watching key players like captain Achraf Hakimi remain on the bench due to injury. Veteran defender Romain Saiss also went off injured early in the match.

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Comoros, the Indian Ocean archipelago, ranked 108th globally, resisted Morocco’s attacks in the first half, but eventually succumbed after Diaz converted a cross from Noussair Mazraoui. El Kaabi’s brilliant finish off a delivery from Anass Salah-Eddine doubled the lead, confirming the Atlas Lions’ dominance.

Morocco now turns their attention to a Group A clash against Mali on Friday, following Mali’s opening game against Zambia in Casablanca on Monday. Other fixtures in the tournament include South Africa vs Angola in Marrakesh and Egypt vs Zimbabwe in Agadir, as record seven-time champions Egypt seek their first title since 2010.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations runs across two calendar years for the first time, culminating in the final on January 18 in Rabat.

Morocco Starts Africa Cup of Nations Campaign with 2-0 Win Over Comoros