Sunday, December 21
*Morocco Vs Comoros – 10pm (EAT)
Hosts Morocco will hope to get the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations off to a good start when they take on minnows Comoros in the tournament opener at the Complexe Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
The Atlas Lions, who are carrying the hopes of the Arab nation, are huge favourites to win the tournament on home soil, and must show that in their group A opener.
A deep run at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar to reach the semifinals, the first African side to achieve that feat, put everyone on notice on how good this side is.
And a couple of players from that squad, including recently crowned CAF African Footballer of the year Achraf Hakimi, is part of the current squad.
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, defenders Roman Saïss, Noussair Mazraoui, midfielders Sofyan Amrabat, Ismael Saibari, Azzedine Ounahi, forwards Brahim Diaz, Youssef En-Nesyri, Ayoub El Kaabi and Soufiane Rahimi among others headline a star-studded group.
Coach Walid Regragui will be well aware of what is at stake as he bids to win the nation it’s second AFCON title.
“We have been working for two years,” Regragui said ahead of the opener.
“It will be a big day, at home. Our objective has always been to win the AFCON and to give everything. Our supporters are with us.”
Morocco and Comoros have met only once in official competition, during the AFCON 2023 qualifiers, when the Atlas Lions claimed a 2–0 home victory thanks to Selim Amallah and Zakaria Aboukhlal strikes.
Comoros, are here for the second time after their maiden appearance in 2021 where they reached the Round of 16.
The Coelacanths qualified to this tournament in style after topping Group A that had Tunisia, Gambia and Madagascar without losing a match!
Comoros, an Island nation, is just like Morocco an Arab nation, with a population of 883,075, is the third smallest African nation by area!
Rafiki Said (Standard de Liege) and Youssouf M’Changama are some of their key players the side will bank on to create an upset in a group that also Mali and Zambia.