Comoros made history with their 1-0 win over Madagascar at the Grand Stade d'Al Hoceima on Monday as they finished top of Group A in 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying with an unbeaten record.
Yacine Bourhane's goal early in the second half saw the Coelacanths beat the Barea for the first time in their history and take top spot from Tunisia, who suffered a 1-0 defeat to Gambia in a concurrent match.
Petit archipel de 850 000 habitants, les Comores 🇰🇲 sont qualifiés pour leur deuxième CAN. 🌍🏆
— BeFootball (@_BeFootball) November 18, 2024
Et en finissant leader de leur poule devant la Tunisie 🇹🇳.
𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗟 𝗣𝗔𝗬𝗦, 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗟 𝗣𝗘𝗨𝗣𝗟𝗘. ❤️🤩 pic.twitter.com/UkQB9uaC8C
Stefano Cusin's side had picked up nine points from their opening five matches to secure a ticket to the African showpiece in Morocco with one game to spare, while Madagascar had already been eliminated after losing three of their five outings.
Cette équipe des 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐒 𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐀𝐁𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐔𝐒𝐄 🤩🇰🇲
— Footballogue (@Footballogue) November 18, 2024
En plus de se qualifier pour la CAN 2025, les 𝐶𝑜𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠 terminent PREMIERS de leur groupe devant la Tunisie 🇹🇳, la Gambie 🇬🇲 et Madagascar 🇲🇬 !
FOOOOORT ! 👏 pic.twitter.com/7z0EE8zGB7
The visitors created the first real chance of note on 12 minutes when Rayan Raveloson unleashed a shot from the edge of the area that was palmed away by Salim Ben Boina.
But Comoros soon threatened themselves as Faiz Selemani tested Sonny Laiton with a fierce shot that he comfortably dealt with on the 20-minute mark.
#QUALIFICATION_DAY_ROAD_TO_MAROC
— FFC 🇰🇲 (@fedcomfootball) November 15, 2024
🔥💫 Après leur victoire 2-1 face à la Gambie ce soir à Berkane, les Coelacanthes🐠 se qualifient pour la CAN 2025 !
🙌 Vous l’avez fait, et c’est tout un peuple qui est fier de vous 🇰🇲
Rendez-vous au Maroc en 2025 !🇲🇦⚽️✈️ pic.twitter.com/6ufYaoeE3D
Thomas Fontaine then went close for Madagascar from a counter-attack, although he was unable to keep his effort down as the ball flew over the goal on 32 minutes.
The score remained unchanged at the break, but the hosts took just two minutes to open the scoring after the restart, with Bourhane converting the rebound after Warmed Omari's initial header had been saved by Laiton.
Madagascar looked to respond and Ryan Ponti forced Ben Boina into an excellent save on 56 minutes before the goalkeeper was also required to keep out Warren Caddie on the hour mark after he made contact with Jean-Pierre Morgan's cross.
They kept pushing for an equaliser, but Tsiry Randriatsiferana failed to trouble Ben Boina with a shot on 72 minutes and Caddie also missed the target with a header in the 81st minute before Johan N'Zi got under his shot four minutes later as the ball sailed over the crossbar.
Comoros (0) 1 (Bourhane 47')
Madagascar (0) 0
Comores: S. Ben Boina, S. Bakari, Y. Zahary, W. Omari, A. Abdallah, R. Vita (I. Youssouf 77'), F. Selemani (R. Said 46'), Y. Bourhane, R. Lutin (Y. Said M'Madi 65'), Z. Youssouf (Y. M'Changama 46'), M. Maolida (E. Ben 58').
Madagascar: S. Laiton, R. Rabemanantsoa, T. Fontaine, S. Tremoulet, J. Morgan, M. Ilaimaharitra, R. Andriamanjato (J. N'Zi 67'), R. Raveloson, E. Hadari Raheriniaina (T. Randriatsiferana 67'), W. Caddie (N. Rakotoharimalala 81'), R. Ponti.