Comoros and Zambia Play to Goalless Draw in Africa Cup of Nations

Comoros and Zambia Play to Goalless Draw in Africa Cup of Nations

Comoros and Zambia Play to Goalless Draw in Africa Cup of Nations

Comoros and Zambia played to a goalless draw in the first match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) held in Casablanca, marking a match with limited scoring opportunities.

The pivotal moment occurred midway through the first half when Comoros striker Myziane Maolida appeared to score from five yards out after an impressive play by Rafiki Said. However, Mauritian referee Ahmad Imtehaz Heeralall annulled the goal following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, which revealed a foul committed by Yacine Bourhane in the build-up, as he stepped on Owen Tembo's foot.

Despite Comoros displaying more dominance throughout the match, the second half turned out to be uneventful. The best chance for Comoros came when Faiz Selemani headed a deep cross onto the roof of the net, leaving Zambia goalkeeper Willard Mwanza stranded after he had ventured off his line.

This result favors Comoros, who now have one point ahead of their final Group A match against Mali in Casablanca on Monday at 19:00 GMT. Zambia, with only two points, will likely need to secure a victory against host nation Morocco in their closing match in Rabat to advance to the last 16.

In a contrasting performance, Comoros goalkeeper Yannick Pandor, who had a strong showing in their opening match against Morocco, faced minimal challenges this time. He narrowly avoided an early blunder after overplaying the ball in his area and was fortunate to recover after being tackled by Leicester City's Patson Daka.

Having previously managed only 30% possession against Morocco, Comoros seemed to control the game better, playing a more measured style of football. Before his goal was disallowed, Maolida's attempt was blocked by Zambia's Dominic Chanda.

Zambia's best opportunity in the first half came from Kings Kangwa, whose left-footed shot just cleared the bar from the edge of the box. The result extends Zambia's disappointing Afcon streak, marking 12 games without a victory since their championship win in 2012.

Despite a surge of late pressure during added time, which resulted in several free-kicks and corners, Zambia struggled to replicate their earlier heroics that earned them a late draw against Mali. They will need to channel the spirit of their 2012 victory if they hope to secure a positive outcome against Morocco.

In contrast, Comoros will be optimistic about their chances against Mali, recalling their impressive debut in the 2021 Afcon when they upset Ghana.

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