Tanzania hold Tunisia to end 45-year wait for AFCON knockout spot

30 Dec 2025, 21:45 by AFP · The42

LAST UPDATE | 5 hrs ago

AFCON results

Group C

Tanzania 1-1 Tunisia
Uganda 1-3 Nigeria

Group D

Benin 0-3 Senegal
Botswana 0-3 DR Congo

TANZANIA REACHED THE knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time, 45 years after their maiden appearance, by coming from behind to draw 1-1 with fellow qualifiers Tunisia in Rabat.

Ismael Gharbi converted a penalty just before half-time for Tunisia and Feisal Salum levelled early in the second half in the Moroccan capital.

Tanzania have been trying since 1980 to advance beyond the group stage, and have still to win a match in four appearances. They squeezed into the round of 16 after two draws and one loss.

Tunisia finished second in Group C with four points, five behind table-toppers Nigeria. Tanzania pipped Angola on goals scored for one of four places reserved for third-placed teams.

Raphael Onyedika scored twice as already qualified Nigeria overcame 10-man Uganda 3-1 in the other Group C match to maintain a 100 percent record after the group stage.

Only Tunisia know their next opponents. They will face Mali in Rabat on Saturday in the round of 16. Who Nigeria and Tanzania meet has yet to be decided.

Argentina-born Tanzania coach Miguel Gamondi gave an AFCON debut to 33-year-old goalkeeper Hussein Masaranga, one of three changes to the team that drew with Uganda in their previous match.

Tunisia coch Sami Trabelsi dropped another 33-year-old, captain Ferjani Sassi, to the bench, but the midfielder came on early in the second half to win his 100th cap.

- Audacious goal attempt -
Ismael Gharbi struck the post for Tunisia early on. He then saw an audacious long-range effort land on the roof of the netting to the relief of poorly positioned Masaranga.

Tunisia had a slight edge in possession and went ahead on 43 minutes when the Congolese referee awarded a penalty after reviewing a goalmouth incident on the pitchside VAR monitor.

Big-screen replays showed Ibrahim Hamad fouling Hazem Mastouri. The spot kick was converted by Gharbi.

The lead did not last long, as Feisal Salum levelled two minutes into the second half. He fired goalwards from beyond the D and the ball sneaked into the corner past Aymen Dahmen.

In Fes, Nigeria went ahead on 28 minutes through a well constructed move that exploited space in the Ugandan defence.

A clever pass from Bruno Onyemaechi set up Fisayo Dele-Bashiru to deliver a low cross that Onuachu struck into the net despite being surrounded by three opponents.

Uganda suffered a huge blow on 56 minutes when goalkeeper Salim Magoola was red-carded for handling outside the area. Magoola had replaced 40-year-old captain Denis Onyango for the second half.

Legason Alionz came on, the third goalkeeper used by Uganda with the match less than an hour old. He was beaten twice within eight minutes by Raphael Onyedika as Nigeria surged to a three-goal lead.

Onyedika twice found the bottom right corner with shots. Samuel Chukwueze, on loan to Fulham from AC Milan, set the midfielder up to score on both occasions.

Elsewhere, Senegal saw off Benin on Tuesday to go through to the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations as winners of Group D, leaving the Democratic Republic of Congo to settle for second place which means they will play Algeria in a heavyweight tie in the next round.

Sadio Mane’s Senegal, African champions in 2022, came into the final round of group games needing to beat Benin in Tangier and hope that their Congolese rivals did not manage to move above them on goal difference.

Senegal ran out 3-0 winners against Benin, with Abdoulaye Seck and Habib Diallo scoring before skipper Kalidou Koulibaly was sent off in the second half. Cherif Ndiaye then added a late penalty.

DR Congo beat already-eliminated Botswana 3-0 at the same time in Rabat, meaning the leading duo both finished with seven points from three games but Pape Thiaw’s Senegal topped the section by a difference of two goals.

As a result, Senegal have a far kinder path in the knockout phase and will remain in Tangier for a last-16 tie on Saturday against the third-place finisher in Group E.

That will be either Burkina Faso or Sudan, who play each other in Casablanca on Wednesday.

The Leopards, in contrast, must play 2019 champions Algeria in the last 16 next Tuesday with the winner of that potentially having to face Nigeria in the quarter-finals.