Comoros left the pitch in Rabat on Friday knowing that only victory will keep their Africa Cup of Nations dream alive, after a goalless draw against Zambia left them rooted to the foot of Group A.
The Coelacanths arrived for their second group fixture under pressure, having been beaten 2–0 by hosts Morocco in the tournament opener.
Against Zambia at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, they produced a display full of intent and attacking ambition, yet once again lacked the cutting edge required to turn promise into points.
The stalemate was all the more frustrating because Comoros created the clearer chances and twice believed they had taken the lead.
Within seven minutes, Myziane Maolida found himself in space inside the Zambian area, only to be denied by a last-ditch clearance on the line that robbed him of a certain opener.
It was a moment that encapsulated the night: decisive action arriving just a fraction too late.
Twelve minutes later, the former Lyon forward thought his persistence had finally paid off.
Picking up a neat return pass from the left channel, Maolida drove into the box and finished calmly.
His celebrations were cut short, however, as the referee ruled out the effort, correctly penalising Yacine Bourhane for a foul earlier in the move.
The decision stood, leaving the Comoros players staring in disbelief as another opportunity slipped away.
Despite the disappointment, the Coelacanths did not retreat.
They continued to push numbers forward, exploiting the flanks and testing the Zambian back line with quick interchanges.
Yet the final ball was repeatedly missing, or a touch too heavy, allowing Zambia to regroup and survive.
As the match edged into its final stages, Comoros threw on attacking reinforcements in search of the breakthrough their performance seemed to merit.
In the 81st minute, substitute Faïz Selemani came agonisingly close, rising highest to meet a cross only to glance his header narrowly wide of the far post.
It was the last clear opening of the evening and, for Comoros, the clearest sign that fortune was not on their side.
The draw leaves them bottom of Group A, with a single point from two matches and no goals scored.
In a section already topped by Morocco, the margin for error has now vanished.
Next Monday’s meeting with Mali has taken on the feel of a final: defeat would end their campaign, while a win is the only route that keeps alive the possibility of reaching the round of 16, a feat they have achieved just once before.
The pressure is not confined to Comoros alone.
Zambia, who escaped with a point on Friday, know they must now face Morocco needing a result of their own to secure progression.
For the Coelacanths, however, the equation is brutally simple.
After a night when they “deserved better” but failed to deliver the decisive blow, they head into their final group match with their backs firmly against the wall, aware that only a victory over Mali can extend their stay at the tournament.
