McTominay-style finish – but what else did Scots learn about Morocco?

As Scotland’s World Cup rivals won the Africa Cup of Nations by defeating the Comoros 2-0 in front of a capacity home crowd, Morocco had their own Scott McTominay to thank.

With 15 minutes left, Brahim Diaz opened the scoring for the hosts after 10 minutes, and Ayoub El Kaabi’s stunning overhead kick, which is reminiscent of the Scotland midfielder’s iconic strike in the most recent World Cup qualifier against Denmark, sealed the hosts’ three points.

The victory over the team that is ranked 108th in the world in front of a crowd of 60 or 180 spectators in Rabat extended the Atlas Lions’ record-setting 19th victory streak to nine.

Diaz enjoys going down in the penalty box.

The 26-year-old Real Madrid winger attempted to wiggle free on the byeline after just 10 minutes when he won himself a spot-kick.

Soufiane Rahimi’s penalty was thumped down the center of goal by goalkeeper Yannick Pandor.

Diaz, who was born in Malaga and became a Moroccan national in 2024 after winning one cap for Spain, also claimed for a penalty shortly before the break.

Unfortunately, Diaz’s free-kicks also had poor quality.

He was constantly in danger, though, given the ability to move both wings and launch attacks from the middle.

Steve Clarke’s team won’t want to rent him the space he used to score against the Comoros.

After switching his allegiance, Diaz had gone five games without scoring after six goals in eight games.

When Manchester United wing-back Noussair Mazraoui collected a clever chip from the Comoros defense, turned his marker, and rolled into Diaz’s path in acres of space from 12 yards, and was back on the goal-trail.

In their 4-3-3 formation, Walid Regragui’s Morocco like to play a fast-paced game where they switch balls quickly from wing to wing to stretch their opponents.

To maintain their intensity and pressure on their opponents, free kicks and other set pieces are taken quickly.

However, the Comoros’ findings demonstrated Morocco’s frustration, which is 97 places above them in the world rankings.

From their seven attempts until the opening goal, they restricted the hosts to one on target on the majority of the first half.

Before the break, Morocco peppered the Indian Ocean islanders’ penalty box with 16 crosses, with Mazraoui prominent, before eventually setting up Diaz for the score.

Morocco did, however, occasionally appear uncomfortable when Comoros were able to press high.

On the counterattack, they were also a few times thrown long balls through the defense’s defense’s heart.

Rafiki Said, a striker for Standard Liege, could have silenced the home shortly after the opener when he went on goal only to fire at Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou’s legs.

Bounou only had one troubleful situation before Youssouf M’Changama made an attempt to score a bizarre free-kick from all 50 yards.

In front of their own vociferous supporters, it is difficult to tell how good Morocco are when they face a side from the smallest of the 24 nations competing in Afcon 2025.

The Comoros won the Afcon without a defeat as they won the qualifying group ahead of Tunisia and shocked Ghana in the process two years ago.

Morocco, however, defeated Jordan 3-3 in the final of the Arab Cup on Thursday to take the lead over Comoros, who had earlier defeated them 3-1 in the previous competition in Qatar.

That squad played at a completely different level than the one competing at home.

Even the hosts’ Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium had one Arab Cup player starting.

Despite this, Morocco has yet to demonstrate its depth of strength.

After suffering an ankle injury while playing for Paris St-Germain in a Champions League game in early November, the influential captain Achraf Hakimi was only fit to start on the bench.

El Kaabi, 32, made a sensational debut goalscoring debut with 25 minutes left. El Kaabi was himself a substitute.

Although he didn’t quite reach McTominay’s height, it was greeted with the same amount of gasps inside his hometown.

In the longer-range challenges that lie ahead, starting with Mali on Boxing Day and then Zambia on December 29th, Morocco’s depth will be put to the test.

They will, however, be favorites to advance to Group A in order to win the tournament for the first time since 1976 or at least make it to the final for the first time in 21 years.