Morocco began their Africa Cup of Nations 2025 campaign with a hard-earned 2–0 victory over Comoros in a rain-lashed opening match at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, overcoming early tension to secure all three points.
Buoyed by a raucous home crowd of over 60,000, the Atlas Lions were presented with a perfect chance to settle nerves inside the opening 15 minutes. Brahim Díaz was brought down in the penalty area after a sharp run, but Comoros goalkeeper Yannick Pandor rose to the occasion, brilliantly saving Soufiane Rahimi’s spot kick with his knee to stun the hosts and momentarily quieten the stadium.
Comoros grew in confidence after the miss and adopted a compact defensive approach, frustrating Morocco for much of the first half. Despite enjoying the majority of possession, Walid Regragui’s side struggled to break through a disciplined back line as the rain continued to pour.
The breakthrough finally arrived 10 minutes after the restart. Left completely unmarked inside the box, Díaz met a low cross from Noussair Mazraoui and calmly guided the ball past Pandor to ignite celebrations among the home supporters.
The opening goal stretched the contest, creating opportunities at both ends. Rafiki Said nearly levelled for Comoros, only for Yassine Bounou to produce a timely save, while Pandor continued his standout performance by denying Mazraoui once again to keep his side in contention.
Morocco’s nerves were finally settled in the 75th minute when substitute Ayoub El Kaabi produced a moment of brilliance, connecting with an acrobatic overhead kick to double the lead and seal the result in spectacular fashion.
The victory extends Morocco’s world-record winning streak to 19 consecutive matches, providing a solid start to their AFCON 2025 journey. However, the Atlas Lions will face a sterner test in their next group fixture against Mali on Friday.
