Morocco employed a 4-3-3 formation, although manager Walid Regragui made the surprising decision to exclude several prominent players from the starting lineup.

In contrast, Comoros coach Stefano Cusin opted for a more traditional approach, retaining veteran leadership led by captain Youssouf M’Changama.

From the outset, Morocco dominated possession, while Comoros remained steadfast in their defensive strategy. The game nearly saw an early breakthrough in the 9th minute when Morocco was awarded a penalty after Imsane M’Madi fouled Brahim Díaz, who had cleverly drawn contact in the penalty area.

However, Comoros goalkeeper Yannick Pandor made a remarkable save, diving correctly to prevent Soufiane Rahimi from converting the opportunity.

Morocco faced an early challenge in the 18th minute when captain Romain Saïss suffered a muscle injury and was replaced by Jawad El Yamiq. The first yellow card was issued in the 36th minute to Yannick Kari for a tackle on Azzedine Ounahi.

Tensions rose before halftime due to a VAR review in the 44th minute, resulting in no penalty after Díaz was ruled to have handled the ball.

In the second half, Díaz received a yellow card in the 48th minute for a late challenge, but he scored in the 55th minute, converting a low cross from Noussair Mazraoui for the opening goal.

Four minutes later, goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made a vital save from a shot by Said Bakari. In the 65th minute, Morocco made key substitutions, with Ayoub El Kaabi being introduced for Soufiane Rahimi. El Kaabi then scored a spectacular overhead kick in the 74th minute from a cross by Salah-Eddine Mraouni, furthering Morocco’s lead.

Morocco managed the final minutes effectively, making additional substitutions. They look to maintain this momentum into their next match against Mali on December 26th, while Comoros prepares for a critical game against Zambia.

Monday, December 22nd Fixtures:

• Mali vs. Zambia
• South Africa vs. Angola
• Egypt vs. Zimbabwe