Morocco 2-0 Comoros: Brahim and El Kaabi score to seal AFCON opener victory

Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) 2025 hosts Morocco began their campaign to win a second continental title with a somewhat nervy win over Comoros in the tournament opener in rainy Rabat.

Match Report

Ayoub El Kaabi scored a sublime overhead kick to ensure Morocco ran out 2-0 winners over Comoros in the Africa Cup of Nations opener on Sunday.

Brahim Diaz had already given Morocco a precious lead before the goal-of-the-tournament contender, ensuring the host nation got their first three points on the board.

Morocco were gifted a golden chance to open the scoring 11 minutes in as Iyad Mohamed clumsily bundled Diaz over in the box, but Soufiane Rahimi's resulting spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Yannick Pandor.

The hosts kept the pressure on in the first half without testing the goalkeeper again, but it took just 10 second-half minutes to break the deadlock; Diaz was gifted too much space and guided Noussair Mazraoui's cutback into the net first time.

Comoros attempted to fight back, though, with Rafiki Said leading the charge on the counter-attack shortly after, only to drill his low effort straight at Yassine Bounou.

Pandor then made a stunning double save to keep Comoros in the game, parrying Mazraoui's effort as far as Jawad El Yamiq but then getting straight up to punch the follow-up effort away.

But substitute El Kaabi settled the contest in style as he played a lovely one-two with Anass Salah-Eddine and sent an unstoppable bicycle kick into the back of the net to secure the win.

Data Debrief: Atlas Lions turn on the style

Morocco have now won 10 of their last 12 group matches at AFCON (D2), a run that dates back to 2017 (1-0 loss to DR Congo).

Diaz was their top scorer in qualifying (seven goals), and is already off the mark here, having also played his part in winning the early penalty, which was not converted.

But it was El Kaabi who ultimately stole the headlines with his sole shot, which resulted in an excellent goal. That effort was worth just 0.17 expected goals (xG), with Morocco accumulating 2.0 overall to Comoros' 0.3 from four shots.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

11' Penalty Missed!  (Soufiane Rahimi)

19' Match Event for Morocco vs Comoros

37' Match Event for Morocco vs Comoros

55' GOAL! Morocco 1-0 Comoros (Brahim Díaz)

63' Match Event for Morocco vs Comoros

74' GOAL! Morocco 2-0 Comoros (Ayoub El Kaabi)

Line-ups

Morocco XI: Bounou, Saiss, Amrabat, Mazraoui, Aguerd, Brahim, Soufiane Rahimi, Neil El Aynaoui, Azzedine Ounahi, Anass Salah-Eddine, Ismael Saibari

Subs: Munir, Mohamed Chibi, Masina, Hakimi, El Yamiq, En-Nesyri, A. El Kaabi, Oussama Targhalline, Abde Ezzalzouli, Ilias Akhomach, El Mehdi Al Harrar, Bilal El Khannouss, Chemsdine Talbi, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal

Comoros XI: Youssouf M'Changama, Benjaloud Youssouf, Faïz Selemani, Youssouf, Ahmed Soilihi, Yannick Pandor, Rafiki Saïd, Ismaël Boura, Iyad Mohamed, Yannis Kari, Kenan Toibibou

Subs: Ben Nabouhane, Saïd Bakari, Salim Ben Boina, Akim Abdallah, Raouf Mroivili, Maolida, Kassim M'Dahoma, Yacine Bourhane, Rémy Vita, Aymeric Ahmed, Zaïd Amir, Adel Anzimati-Aboudou, Idris Mohamed, Rayan Lutin, Aboubacar Ali