The continent’s most anticipated host in a generation meets the tournament’s ultimate heart. The AFCON 2025 curtain-raiser is more than a game; it’s a narrative collision.
By Forence W. Ndung’u,
Rabat, Morocco. The roar that will greet the Moroccan team at the majestic Ibn Batouta Stadium in Tangier will carry the weight of a nation’s destiny. For the Comoros, stepping onto that same hallowed turf, the sound will be a siren’s call to another glorious upset. The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations opener is a tantalising paradox: on paper, a colossal mismatch; in spirit, a clash of two profound footballing ideologies. Forget mere tactics; this is about the burden of a crown not yet worn versus the freedom of a sword forever sharpened.
Morocco: The Titan’s Calculated Burden
Morocco enters this tournament not just as hosts, but as Africa’s standard-bearer. Their semi-final heroics in Qatar 2022 and the galaxy of stars at European giants have redefined continental ambition. The strength is systemic and dazzling.
Strength in Symphony: This is not a team reliant on individual flair. It’s a perfectly tuned orchestra. The defensive fortitude of Bono, anchored by the peerless Romain Saïss, feeds the metronomic control of Sofyan Amrabat. From there, the baton passes to the wizardry of Hakim Ziyech and the incisive runs of Achraf Hakimi. They play a global, possession-dominant game that can suffocate opponents.
The Invisible Opponent: Their greatest challenge is expectation. The demand isn’t to compete, but to conquer. The pressure of a host nation is immense; for a host nation that is the continent’s #1 ranked team, it’s a historical millstone. Every touch will be dissected, every slight hesitation magnified. Coach Walid Regragui’s masterstroke must be psychological—transforming that weight into unwavering focus, especially in a nervy opener.
Comoros: The Hurricane from the Islands
Les Coelacantes are the soul of AFCON. Their story—from part-time players to 2021 quarter-finalists, stunning Ghana along the way—is the tournament’s lifeblood. They are not here to make up the numbers; they are here to resurrect a dream.
Strength in the Collective Tempest: Comoros’ power lies in an unbreakable, emotive unity and tactical discipline that morphs into devastating transitions. They are masters of the organised low block and the lightning, all-body counter-attack. In players like the experienced El Fardou Ben Nabouhane, they have a cold-blooded finisher who thrives on a single chance. They embody the “all for one” spirit that makes minnows mighty.
The Freedom of Nothing to Lose: This is their weapon. While Morocco carries a nation’s dreams, Comoros carries an archipelago’s pride—a crucial distinction. The underdog tag is a liberator. They will run, harry, and celebrate every blocked pass as a victory. Their expectation is not to win the match in the 1st minute, but to stay in it until the 90th, where chaos becomes their ally.
The freshest lens for this opener is not geographical, but temporal. This is a match between Morocco’s “Future” and Comoros’s “Forever.”
Morocco is playing for a future they are desperate to cement: as perennial world forces and finally, after 48 years, as African kings on home soil. Their football is a project, a blueprint for the continent’s tomorrow. Every pass is a step toward a legacy.
Comoros plays for a “forever” moment. Their achievements are eternal—immortalised in highlights and folklore. They are hunting another snapshot for eternity, another chapter in their epic where they slung a stone at a giant. They are not building a dynasty; they are cementing a legend. For them, the 90 minutes in Tangier is the destination.
Expect a game of contrasting rhythms. Morocco will control the ball, probing with patience against a deep, compact Comoros block. The central battle will be Morocco’s creative trio trying to unlock a wall of passionate defenders. The longer Comoros holds, the more the anxiety in the stadium will grow, fuelling the visitors’ belief.
The key will be an early Moroccan goal. If it comes, the floodgates could open to a commanding victory. If not, this evolves into a high-wire act of nerve. Comoros’s best chance lies in a set-piece or a single, stolen moment on the break—their specialty.
The beauty of AFCON often lies not in the predictable, but in the passionate revolt against it. Morocco are rightful favourites, destined to control the narrative. But Comoros hold the pen to write a stunning first line. In Tangier, a nation’s elaborate coronation meets an archipelago’s unwavering dream of another glorious puncture in the script. The Atlas Mountains may stand firm, but never underestimate the power of a Coelacante’s tide.