El Kaabi Makes History with 'Substitute Goal' in AFCON 2025 Opener
Z. Benjamin Keibah
RABAT, MOROCCO: Moroccan striker Ayoub El Kaabi has written his name into the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) history by becoming the first player to come off the bench and the score in an AFCON Opener in 15 years.
The last time a substitute score in an AFCON opening match was 2010 in Angola, when Seydou Keita and Mustapha Yatabaré came off the bench to score for Mali against the hosts Angola.
The Moroccan striker etched his name into the tournament's history after coming off in the 65th minute to score a brilliant goal that sealed Morocco a 2-0 win over Comoros in the 2025 AFCON opener on Sunday, December 21st.
El Kaabi's substitute goal break the long-standing bridge for players coming off the bench in AFON's kickoffs. This has reminded coaches of the importance of shifting their squads during major encounters.
Normally, teams depend heavily on their starting lineups in kickoff matches to set the tone for goal scoring, making goals from substitutes in such cases extremely uncommon.
