Morocco begin their quest for a second Africa Cup of Nations title against Comoros on Sunday (today) in Group A’s opener in Rabat, with the Atlas Lions seeking to become the 20th host nation to win the tournament’s opening match.
There have been 19 host-nation wins to begin the continental showpiece, and Morocco hope to record a 20th such victory against the Coelacanths at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
Walid Regragui’s men enter their 20th AFCON with the weight of expectation from supporters who want the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists to finally shed their tag of continental underachievers and claim the crown for only the second time and first since 1976.
Morocco’s best showings at the Cup of Nations since reaching the title match in 2004 were two quarter-finals at the 2017 and 2021 editions. There have been four group-stage exits and two round-of-16 eliminations, the latter happening at the 2023 finals in Ivory Coast, where they were stunned 2-0 by South Africa.
Incredibly, that January defeat in San Pedro was the last time Regragui’s side were beaten in a competitive game, underlining Morocco’s status as Africa’s number one team. The Atlas Lions arrive on an 18-match winning streak, scoring freely while conceding just four goals.
However, shocks are never far away at this level, and Comoros know a thing or two about stunning superior opposition.
The Coelacanths return to the continent’s flagship tournament full of memories from their debut appearance in 2021, when they advanced to the last 16 at Ghana’s expense with a 3-2 victory over the Black Stars in the final group match.
Their finest result in qualifying was defeating Tunisia in Tunis before holding the North African nation to a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture, scores that led to the 2004 champions dismissing coach Faouzi Benzarti.
Despite their lowly number 108 ranking, Comoros have recently shown they are one of the continent’s most dangerous sides, claiming five wins in World Cup qualifying, including another victory over Ghana.
Comoros head coach Stefano Cusin acknowledged the scale of the challenge ahead. “Morocco are an exceptional team – the best in Africa and one of the strongest in the world,” the Canadian manager said.
“They are ranked ahead of Italy in the FIFA standings, reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, boast players from top clubs and are on an 18-match winning run.
“On paper, it is like climbing Everest. But football has its magic: anything can happen. The key is to be ready on the day. The pressure is mainly on Morocco, who are expected to win. For us, the aim is simply to deliver a strong performance – and if a pleasant surprise comes with the result, all the better.”
Morocco will showcase world-class stadiums as they host the Cup of Nations for the first time since 1988. The 69,000-seat Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium will also host the final, while games will be played in Tangier, Casablanca, Marrakesh, Agadir and Fez as the country builds towards co-hosting the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
The opening ceremony is scheduled to kick off at 6.30pm, with stadium gates opening at 2pm to allow fans to experience the build-up to the historic occasion.
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