Honestly, the noise hit us first, a physical wave that came after the ball did. From where I was sat, high up and damp from the evening’s drizzle, you could see the whole arc of it—Ayoub El Kaabi, back to goal, and that cross from Salah-Eddine hanging just a bit short. What happened next, the way he contorted and made contact, it wasn’t just a goal. It was the exact moment Morocco’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament truly kicked off, a 2-0 win sealed with pure instinct.
The whole night had been building to that, tension you could taste. A sold-out stadium in Rabat expecting a show, and for so long getting mostly frustration. Comoros, they were so stubborn. Organized in a way that made Morocco’s play look disjointed, predictable even. Me and everyone around, we watched the first half pass with just one real save from their keeper, Pandor. That was from a penalty, too. Rahimi stepped up and hit it poorly, straight at him. A groan went round the stands.
Things changed after the break, you could feel the shift. The goal from Brahim Diaz, it was a relief as much as a celebration. Mazraoui got down the left and pulled it back, and there was Diaz, just waiting. Simple finish, but the whole place exploded. Then Comoros almost did it, almost silenced us all. A mix-up at the back and Said was through, just Bono to beat. The keeper stood tall, a huge save. That was the warning.
Morocco found a rhythm then, Pandor making a double stop. But the game needed magic. El Kaabi provided it, five minutes after coming on. A quick one-two, the ball looping behind him. He just went for it, an overhead kick that rippled the net. Pure brilliance. I’ve never heard a roar like it.
Afterwards, finding Regragui the coach outside, he looked more relieved than thrilled. “The win, that’s what matters to start,” he said, acknowledging the struggle. “They defended so well. We needed patience. And Ayoub gave us that special thing, a moment that changes everything.” He’s right, of course. But the performance had its worries, no doubt.
Early on, Romain Saiss went down. You could see it was bad, him clutching his hamstring before he even hit the ground. Him being forced off so early, it casts a shadow. Comoros deserve credit, they defended bravely for an hour and had pace on the break. For Morocco, the play was too narrow sometimes, too many hopeful crosses. Sixteen in the first half and only two found a man. With Amrabat missing, the midfield lacked its usual bite.
But that’s the thing about a squad with depth—someone else steps up. The substitutes changed the game. Salah-Eddine with the assist, El Kaabi with the finish you’ll see forever. It’s a classic tournament opener when you think about it. The favorite, all tense and eager, gets tested by a disciplined underdog. Comoros executed their plan for so long. It took Diaz’s coolness and then a stroke of genius to break them.
So Morocco sits top with three points now. Mali next on Boxing Day, that’s a proper test. Comoros plays Zambia, they’ll think they have a chance. For us here in Rabat, the job got done. It wasn’t pretty always, but it’s a start. And sometimes a start needs a moment of impossible beauty to really get going. That was El Kaabi’s gift to a whole nation, waiting in the rain.
