Dramatic Draw Seals Tanzania's Historic Progression
In a rain-soaked and tense encounter in Rabat on Tuesday, Tanzania and Tunisia played out a 1-1 draw that had massive implications for the Africa Cup of Nations knockout stage. The result sent both teams through but spelled the end of the road for a heartbroken Angola. Feisal Salum's second-half goal for Tanzania proved to be the decisive moment, cancelling out Ismaël Gharbi's first-half penalty and booking the Taifa Stars' place in the last 16.
Goal-Scoring Tiebreaker Decides Angola's Fate
The match's outcome created an incredibly tight scenario in the race for the best third-place finishers. Both Tanzania and Angola finished their group campaigns with two points and an identical goal difference of -1. This forced the tournament's tie-breaking rules into effect. The crucial difference was the number of goals scored. Salum's strike meant Tanzania had netted three times in the group stage, while Angola had managed only two. This slender advantage was enough to send the Taifa Stars through and send the Palancas Negras home.
Angola's hopes had rested on two results going their way. They needed Tunisia to defeat Tanzania and for Nigeria to beat Uganda. While Nigeria fulfilled their part with a 3-1 victory over Uganda, Tunisia could not secure the win, despite taking the lead.
Match Action: Intensity from the First Whistle
The game in Rabat began with a level of desperation typically reserved for the final minutes. Tunisia, known as the Carthage Eagles, applied intense early pressure. Gharbi struck the left post and even attempted an audacious shot from near the halfway line. The breakthrough came via the penalty spot after a VAR review confirmed a foul by Tanzania's Ibrahim Hamad on Hazem Mastouri. Ismaël Gharbi calmly converted the penalty in the 43rd minute to give Tunisia the lead.
After the break, Tanzania fought back. Feisal Salum equalized with a low shot that skidded along the wet grass and found the inside of the left post. The goal sparked wild celebrations from the Tanzanian bench, who knew its significance. For Tunisia, advancing as the Group C runner-up was not enough to satisfy their fans, who whistled the team at full-time after supporting them in the rain.
Nigeria Rotates Squad in Comfortable Win Over Uganda
In the other Group C match, already-qualified Nigeria faced Uganda. With top spot secured, Nigeria coach Eric Chelle rested key players like Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi, and Bright Osayi-Samuel, though star striker Victor Osimhen started.
Nigeria took control when Fisayo Dele-Bashiru set up Paul Onuachu for a simple finish in the 28th minute. Uganda's task became monumental early in the second half. First, their experienced goalkeeper Denis Onyango could not continue after the break. His replacement, Salim Magoola, was then shown a straight red card in the 50th minute for handling the ball outside his area to stop an Osimhen effort.
Playing against ten men, Nigeria extended their lead. Raphael Onyedika scored twice, first slotting the ball through third-choice keeper Nafian Alionzi's legs in the 62nd minute and again five minutes later. Rogers Mato scored a fine chipped consolation for Uganda in the 75th minute, restoring some pride in a 3-1 defeat.
The day's drama sets the stage for the knockout rounds, with Tanzania celebrating a historic achievement and Tunisia looking to regain their fans' faith.
