Morocco Defeats Comoros in Opening Africa Cup of Nations Match

Morocco secured a solid victory over Comoros as the host nation began the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Rabat. Brahim Diaz and Ayoub El-Kaabi scored in the second half to maintain the historic trend of hosts avoiding opening match defeats. Walid Regragui expressed relief following the win amid ongoing local debates regarding multi-billion euro tournament infrastructure investments.The victory follows Morocco's historic semifinal run at the 2022 World Cup, further cementing the team's rise in international football. Critics and Gen Z protesters have recently questioned the focus on sports spending while the government prioritizes stadium developments over essential services. Manager Regragui praised the mental strength of his squad after Diaz and El-Kaabi ensured the host nation remained unbeaten in its opener.Ayoub El-Kaabi captured attention with a spectacular bicycle kick to double the lead after Diaz broke the deadlock. Despite a missed early penalty and injuries to key players like Romain Saïss, the Atlas Lions dominated possession throughout the match. This win marks the first time a host nation has successfully avoided an opening day defeat since the 1998 tournament.