The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) witnessed a tense and dramatic encounter in Marrakesh on Friday, December 26, as Zimbabwe and Angola played out a 1-1 draw in their Group B fixture. The result, while hard-fought, left both teams in a precarious position in the race for the knockout stages.
Warriors Fight Back After Dala Opener
The match at the Marrakesh Stadium saw Angola seize the initiative in the first half. After Zimbabwe's Bill Antonio missed a golden early chance, the Angolans grew into the game. Their pressure paid off in the 24th minute when striker Gelson Dala broke the deadlock. A perfectly weighted lobbed pass from To Carneiro found Dala inside the box, and the Qatar-based forward showed great composure to slot the ball past veteran Zimbabwean goalkeeper Washington Arubi.
Zimbabwe, who made four changes following their 2-1 loss to Egypt, struggled to create clear opportunities initially. Their veteran talisman, Knowledge Musona, saw a free-kick blocked and fired another effort wide, much to the visible frustration of Romanian coach Marian Marinica on the sidelines.
Musona's Perseverance Rewarded
Just as the first half seemed destined to end with Angola ahead, Zimbabwe struck back in dramatic fashion. The equalizer came deep into first-half stoppage time, precisely six minutes after the added time was announced. Following an Angolan turnover in midfield, Zimbabwe launched a swift counter-attack. A precise pass found Musona in the penalty area, and the experienced forward delivered a clever, low shot that went between the legs of Carneiro and just beyond the reach of the diving Angola goalkeeper, Hugo Marques.
The goal was a testament to Musona's persistence and provided a massive morale boost for the Warriors heading into the break. The Angolan keeper, Marques, had earlier shown bravery to continue after a head collision that required heavy bandaging.
Group B Implications and Stalemate
The second half saw both teams push for a winner, knowing a draw was of little benefit. Angola's Hugo Marques proved crucial again, making an acrobatic one-handed save to deny Zimbabwe substitute Tawanda Chirewa with just 12 minutes of regular time remaining.
Ultimately, neither side could find a decisive second goal. The 1-1 draw means both Angola and Zimbabwe remain on two points in Group B, having now played one match more than the joint leaders, Egypt and South Africa. With only the top two teams from each group guaranteed progression to the round of 16, this result sets up a tense final round of group matches for both nations.
The battle for qualification will now go down to the wire, with every goal and point becoming critical. Zimbabwe and Angola will need victories in their final fixtures to have a strong chance of advancing, either automatically or as one of the four best third-placed teams from the tournament.
