AFCON 2025: No Margin for Error as Morocco Begin Hunt for First African Title in 49 Years
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Morocco are set to kick off its 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign against Comoros this Sunday at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
As hosts of the continental tournament for the first time since 1988, the Atlas Lions will be determined to start with a victory in front of their home crowd.
In the previous tournament in 2023, Morocco began with a dominant 3-0 win over Tanzania, with goals from Romain Saiss, Azzedine Ounahi, and Youssef En-Nesyri. All three players have been included in the current squad.
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However, their journey was cut short by a surprising 2-0 loss to South Africa in the Round of 16, a result they will be keen to improve upon this year.
Can Comoros Pull off an Upset?
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Comoros, meanwhile, are making only their second appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations after an impressive qualifying run that saw them top a group containing Tunisia. Their tournament debut in 2021 started with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Gabon, but they defied expectations to reach the knockout stages.
Known as Les Coelacantes, Comoros will be looking for a strong start to their campaign before facing Zambia and Mali in their subsequent group matches.
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The Atlas Lions enter the match in excellent form, remaining unbeaten since their defeat to South Africa last January. As the highest-ranked team in Africa and with the advantage of playing on home soil, Morocco are the clear favourites to secure all three points.
In contrast, Comoros have struggled recently, losing three of their last four matches. They face a formidable challenge against a superior Moroccan side, and their primary objective may be to keep the scoreline respectable in what promises to be a difficult opening fixture.
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