Women's Africa Cup: Hosts Morocco beat Burkina Faso in the opening game
Captain Ghizlane Chebbak's free-kick just before the half-hour was enough to earn the North Africans their first win in the competition for 24 years.
The strike lacked power but deceived Burkinabe goalkeeper Mariam Ouattara, 19, who could have done better.
At their first Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in 22 years, the Moroccans next meet Uganda, also in Rabat, on Tuesday.
The second game in Group A will occur on Sunday when the Ugandan Cranes open their account against Senegal.
This was the first match at a WAFCON final in four years after the 2020 edition was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, which the Confederation of African Football (Caf) had said it was reluctant to do.
The first finals to feature 12 teams after Caf expanded the tournament in 2019, this WAFCON is also taking place on North African soil for the first time, and a healthy crowd was in attendance after local organisers offered free entry to fans for all games.
Host nation Morocco is currently midway through an ambitious four-year investment plan into women's football to hugely increase the women's game's popularity in the country.
Little expense has been spared, as shown by Reynald Pedros, who led the French side, Lyon to two European Champions League titles in 2018 and 2019 and was brought in as coach in late 2020.
He has been rebuilding the side ever since, and although his team looked as if they would run away with the game at times, the former France international showed his frustration that the lead was never extended.
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