By SCM Sports Reporter
THE Moroccan Atlas Lions stormed into the FIFA Arab Cup with a lightning-fast 3-1 victory over minnows Comoros, but the real star of the show was the Khalifa International Stadium itself—a spectacular, shimmering theatre of football that roared for goals in the desert night.
This isn’t just any old ground, folks. We’re talking about a World Cup venue, dripping in history and futuristic Qatari cool, where the Moroccans turned on the style and secured three vital Group C points with ridiculous ease.
The air was electric, thick with the drama of knockout football, and the North Africans wasted no time in giving the glittering stadium something to shout about.
The Comoros defence hadn’t even found their seats before Soufiane Bouftini put Morocco ahead with a thumping strike just five minutes in. It was a goal worthy of the iconic venue, and the crowd—already buzzing inside the twin-arched masterpiece—went absolutely wild.
If that opener was a stunner, the second was a lightning bolt. Only six minutes later, the score was doubled, with Tarik Tissoudali finding the net to make it 2-0. This match was over before the popcorn was popped!
As the floodlights beamed down onto the pitch—the very turf where some of the biggest stars in world football will soon be playing—the Moroccans treated the game like a training session. They added a third just before the break when Karim El Berkaoui scored with a tidy finish.
The Khalifa Stadium, with its stunning modern cooling system providing a perfect pitch temperature, barely had a chance to breathe.
Comoros did manage to pull one back when Morocco’s Mohamed Boulacsout suffered a moment of panic and netted an own goal on 56 minutes. It was a consolation, nothing more, but at least they got their name on the scoresheet in such a prestigious arena.
The final whistle blew at 3-1—a dominant performance from the tournament favourites, cementing their status as serious contenders.
But for the fans, the real winner was the breathtaking atmosphere inside the magnificent Qatari cathedral of football
