Angola and Zimbabwe off mark at Afcon 2025 with draw

2 weeks ago7 min read

In the simmering heat of Marrakech, the narrative of Group B at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations found its first subplot, not with a decisive victory, but with a gritty, telling 1-1 draw between Angola and Zimbabwe. This was a match where the star power of two talismanic forwards, Angola’s Gelson Dala and Zimbabwe’s returning legend Knowledge Musona, illuminated a contest defined by resilience and missed opportunities, leaving both Southern African hopefuls with a precarious foothold in the tournament.Dala, whose four-goal haul at the 2023 finals announced him as a continental force, showcased his predatory instincts with a ruthless first-half finish, rifling home from To Carneiro's delicate chip in a move of surgical precision. Yet, Zimbabwe’s answer was one of pure, vintage class.Musona, marking his appearance at a remarkable fourth Afcon after coming out of international retirement, demonstrated why his recall was so crucial, masterfully controlling Bill Antonio's arrowed pass before dispatching a finish of cold-blooded quality deep into first-half stoppage time—a moment that felt less like a goal and more like a statement of intent from the Warriors. The second half unfolded as a tense chess match punctuated by vital interventions.Zimbabwe’s veteran goalkeeper Washington Arubi was a bastion of reliability, making an alert close-range save to deny Jonathan Buatu shortly after the break and later tipping away a curling Milson effort before punching clear a dangerous Fredy free-kick in the dying moments. At the other end, Angola’s Hugo Marques reacted superbly to push Tawanda Chirewa's late strike behind, with defender David Carmo following up with a last-ditch block to prevent Prince Dube from converting the ensuing corner, a sequence that encapsulated the desperate, fine margins of tournament football.The draw leaves the group’s dynamics tantalizingly poised. With Egypt and South Africa set to clash in Agadir, a win for either heavyweight would mathematically seal their progression, simultaneously applying immense pressure on Angola and Zimbabwe.For new Zimbabwe coach Mario Marinica, who had demanded greater compactness after a heartbreaking last-minute defeat to Egypt, this performance offered both encouragement and familiar frustration. The inclusion of fit-again players like defender Divine Lunga and the inspirational Musona provided structure, but early profligacy from Antonio and an ongoing injury crisis—evidenced by Teenage Hadebe’s first-half withdrawal—highlight the squad's fragile depth.Angola’s Patrice Beaumelle, a man who knows what it takes to win this trophy having done so as an assistant with Zambia and Ivory Coast, will rue his side’s inability to convert late pressure, most notably when Arubi spilled Milson's drive in the final minute, leading to a frantic goalmouth scramble that Zimbabwe somehow survived. Statistically, the story is one of stalemate, but analytically, it reveals two teams caught between ambition and limitation.

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#Group B

#draw

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