Ayoub El Kaabi produced another moment of breathtaking brilliance by scoring with an overhead kick for the second time in three matches, underlining his extraordinary impact at this Africa Cup of Nations and sending the Rabat crowd into raptures during Morocco’s clash with Zambia.
The Morocco striker had already stunned supporters earlier in the tournament with a spectacular acrobatic opener, and he returned to the spotlight with an almost identical finish, this time against the Chipolopolo.
The goal, equal parts instinct and audacity, was the defining image of the evening, a piece of improvisation that lifted the entire stadium and reinforced El Kaabi’s growing status as the tournament’s showman.
Morocco entered the match knowing that only a victory would guarantee top spot in Group A, and the tension around the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium was evident from the opening exchanges.
Zambia, needing a positive result to keep their hopes alive, pressed aggressively and refused to be overawed by the hosts or the occasion.
@caf_online Did you know that Ayoub El Kaabi can fly? Well, now you know. 🇲🇦🤯 TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 | WePlayDifferent
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For long spells the game was tight, with few clear chances as both teams probed for weaknesses.
Then came the flash of inspiration that has come to characterise El Kaabi’s tournament.
A loose ball dropped awkwardly in the area, and in a split second the forward read the situation, launched himself into the air and connected cleanly with an overhead kick that left the goalkeeper rooted.
The net rippled, the stadium erupted, and Morocco were once again indebted to the man who seems capable of producing something extraordinary when the stakes are highest.
It was not simply the aesthetic beauty of the finish that mattered, but its wider significance.
El Kaabi’s strike shifted the momentum decisively in Morocco’s favour, easing the pressure on a team that had been made to work hard by spirited Zambian resistance.
The hosts grew in confidence, circulating the ball with greater assurance and forcing their opponents deeper into their own half.
For Zambia, the goal was a bitter blow.
They had approached the contest with discipline and belief, aware that Morocco’s firepower could hurt them at any moment.
Up until El Kaabi’s intervention, they had largely succeeded in frustrating the Atlas Lions, closing down space and breaking up attacks before they could develop.
Conceding in such dramatic fashion, however, was always going to test their resolve.
El Kaabi’s achievement is all the more remarkable given the rarity of overhead kicks, let alone scoring them twice in such a short space of time.
@caf_online The kind of finish you watch once, then again and again and again. Ft. Ayoub El Kaabi. 🤯🇲🇦 #TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 | #WePlayDifferent
It is a feat that speaks to his technical quality, his timing, and his confidence on the biggest stage.
Few players would even attempt such a finish, and fewer still would execute it with such calm authority.
As the match wore on, Morocco managed the game with maturity, conscious of the importance of securing their passage as group leaders.
Yet it was El Kaabi’s goal that will linger longest in the memory, another clip destined to circulate far beyond the confines of this tournament.
With two overhead kicks in three appearances, Ayoub El Kaabi has not only given Morocco priceless goals but has also gifted the Africa Cup of Nations one of its defining stories so far, reminding everyone that sometimes football’s magic comes not from elaborate team moves, but from a single, fearless moment of genius.
