Morocco Beats Comoros 2–0 to Open AFCON With Nervy Win
Morocco began its AFCON campaign with a cautious 2–0 win over Comoros in Rabat. The Morocco AFCON opener tested the hosts despite a huge ranking gap.
The home side dominated possession early. However, nerves showed, and clear chances stayed rare. As a result, the first half ended scoreless.
Rain fell steadily at the Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah. Meanwhile, Comoros stayed compact and disciplined. Morocco struggled to break them down.
Second-Half Goals Secure the Win
After the break, Morocco finally found rhythm. In the 55th minute, Noussair Mazraoui kept the ball in play. He then squared it to Brahim Diaz, who finished calmly.
Confidence improved after the goal. As a result, Morocco pushed higher and created more space. Comoros began to tire under pressure.
Substitute Ayoub El Kaabi sealed the result in the 74th minute. He scored with a trademark bicycle kick just minutes after coming on. Therefore, the hosts avoided late drama.
Earlier, Morocco missed a golden chance. Soufiane Rahimi struck a weak penalty in the 11th minute, which Comoros goalkeeper Yannick Pandor saved. In addition, Pandor made several strong stops later to limit damage.
Comoros had one brief opening. However, Rafiki Said fired straight at Yassine Bounou.
Coach Walid Regragui admitted the challenge. He said opening matches often feel heavy. Morocco extended its national team winning streak to 19 games.
There was concern, though. Captain Romain Saiss left injured early, raising fitness questions. As a result, Morocco will monitor his recovery closely.