As the host nation of the Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco successfully kicked off their campaign on Sunday in Rabat by dominating Comoros (2-0) after a tightly contested opening match played in the rain. With Achraf Hakimi resting on the bench, Walid Regragui notably placed his trust in Noussair Mazraoui on the right flank, while Romain Saïss started with the captain’s armband.
However, the evening started poorly for the Lions: after a decision confirmed by VAR, Soufiane Rahimi saw his penalty saved by Comorian goalkeeper Pandor (11th minute), symbolizing a first half that was dominated but barren. As if that weren’t enough, Saïss had to leave the field early due to injury, adding uncertainty in a stadium already demanding at halftime (0-0).
Upon returning from the locker room, Morocco improved in precision and eventually broke the deadlock. In a well-constructed play, Sofyan Amrabat found Mazraoui on the right, who then set up Brahim Diaz at the penalty spot: the Madrid player finished with a side-footed shot to unleash the crowd (56th minute). Comoros nearly capitalized on a moment of hesitation shortly after, but Bono won his one-on-one against Rafiki Saïd to prevent the equalizer (59th minute).
The second goal ultimately came from a pure striker’s move: Ayoub El Kaabi scored with a spectacular acrobatic volley (74th minute), sealing Morocco’s victory (2-0). Achraf Hakimi remained on the bench until the end, but the essential is there: the Atlas Lions are off to a strong start, with a reassuring win and adjustments to make against low blocks.
