Morocco 2-0 Comoros: Ayoub El Kaabi's stunning bicycle kick helps AFCON hosts to opening-match win
Report as Morocco kick-off home AFCON 2025 tournament with victory over Comoros; Soufiane Rahimi sees early penalty saved before Brahim Diaz nets opener and Ayoub El Kaabi adds sensational second with inch-perfect bicycle kick
Sunday 21 December 2025 23:06, UK
Ayoub El Kaabi's sensational bicycle kick helped Morocco finally see off stubborn Comoros as the AFCON hosts kicked off this year's tournament with a 2-0 victory in Rabat.
In front of the watching Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, Morocco had the perfect opportunity to go ahead against their minnow opponents early on but saw Yannick Pandor save a penalty from Soufiane Rahimi.
They were made to regret that miss as Comoros threatened to spoil the hosts' party in the second half, until Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz finally broke the deadlock 10 minutes into the second half from Man Utd defender Noussair Mazrouai's low cross.
Any frustrations about Morocco's inability to break down the 108th-ranked visitors was soon forgotten with 16 minutes remaining, as El Kaabi struck a perfectly executed bicycle kick from 12 yards to seal victory in spectacular style.
Victory extended Morocco's world-record run of consecutive victories to 19, stretching back to March 2024.
Their other Group A opponents, Mali and Zambia, meet at 3pm on Monday in Casablanca.
