Hosts Morocco eventually settled their nerves to claim a 2-0 victory over Comoros in the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations finals. However, relief rather than celebration dominated the mood on Sunday evening.
Heavy rain dampened the atmosphere in the Group A encounter, while a tense start from the hosts reflected the pressure on a side widely viewed as tournament favourites and seeking a first Cup of Nations title in 50 years. A missed penalty early on added to the anxiety, as Morocco struggled to impose themselves against stubborn opposition.
It was not until the second half that the breakthrough arrived, with goals from Brahim Diaz and Ayoub El Kaabi finally separating the two sides. The scoreline could have been more emphatic, however, as Comoros visibly tired during the closing stages.
“It’s never easy to start a competition,” said Morocco head coach Walid Regragui, who guided the national side to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
“An opening match is always difficult, but we did the job. It was important to win our first match in front of our fans and get off to a good start.”
Morocco’s evening was further unsettled when captain Romain Saiss was forced off after just 18 minutes. The defender, who had spent much of the first half of the year sidelined following ankle surgery, left the pitch in tears after suffering an injury from a seemingly innocuous challenge. There was no immediate update on the severity of the setback.
“At half time, I wasn’t very happy with the team,” Regragui added. “We made some adjustments, and the players responded very quickly.”
An incredible goal to make it 2-0 in the opener of AFCON between Morocco and Comoros.
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) December 21, 2025
Ayoub El Kaabi, take a bow ✨
📽️ @SABC_Sport pic.twitter.com/b8UPRekuPn
The opening goal arrived 10 minutes after the restart, with Real Madrid midfielder Diaz finishing calmly to give Morocco the lead. He was later named the man of the match.
“We needed to create a lot of chances because they defended with all 11 players behind the ball,” said Diaz. “It was a difficult game, but we have to keep improving and keep creating chances.”
Morocco will expect a sterner test in their next Group A fixture when they face Mali on Friday.
