Comoros head coach Stefano Cusin is confident his side can spring up a surprise result when they face Morocco in the 2025 African Cup of Nations opening match on Sunday, SportPremi reports.
The Coelacanths head into their second appearance at the AFCON having finished top of their qualifying group, ahead of Tunisia, Gambia and Madagascar.
They made their debut at the continental tournament in 2021, where they also faced Morocco in the group stages.
- Check here: Morocco vs Comoros Preview and Team News
However, Comoros reached the knockout rounds after a third placed finish, before losing to Cameroon, ending their participation at the tournament.
Morocco and Comoros clash in the opening match of the 2025 African Cup of Nations on Sunday, with kickoff slated for 8:00 PM at the Prince Moullay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
What Cusin said ahead of 2025 AFCON opener
Comoros will compete at the 2025 African Cup of Nations in Group A alongside Morocco, Mali and Zambia in a tough group.
However, Cusin is optimistic his side can qualify for the next round of the tournament.
“Morocco are an exceptional team — the best in Africa and one of the strongest in the world”, the Comoros coach stated.
“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.
“We are in a very tough group. All the teams finished top of their qualifying groups. Mali, whom we have faced before, are very solid”, he continued.
“Morocco are clear favourites, and Zambia are AFCON regulars who have already won the competition in 2012.
“These are strong opponents, and we have never beaten them. The real challenge, therefore, is to upset the predictions.
“We have a young, talented team that plays attractive football. As I often say, a coach must believe his own garden is greener than the neighbour’s. I believe in my team.”
