AFCON 2025: Tanzania To Make Knockouts Debut After Draw Against Tunisia

 

Tanzania held Tunisia to a 1-1 draw, courtesy of a stunning equalizer from Feisal Salum in the 48th minute, securing a place for themselves in the knockout stages of the AFCON Cup. 

This is the first time Tanzania have reached the knockout stages of the AFCON Cup since their debut in 1980. Having drawn two of their group games, they secured the ticket to the knockouts in third place in Group C. 

Tunisia had the game in their control from the early stages and pressing until their persistence paid off in the 43rd minute when Gharbi converted a penalty, awarded after a VAR review, with a right-footed shot to the bottom right corner.

Tanzania's fortunes changed in the second half, with the team showing more urgency and intent. And it was Salum who made the breakthrough, unleashing a powerful right-footed shot from outside the box that found the bottom left corner of the net.

Tunisia finished the group stage encounter in second behind Nigeria to qualify for the knockouts. They were unable to reach the knockout stages of the last edition of the AFCON Cup in the Ivory Coast, eliminated by South Africa. 

Overview 

Resilience paid off for Tanzania. They worked hard for the draw. They were not embarrassed against a much better opponents. The first half was a cautious affair, with both teams feeling each other out. Tunisia's Ismaël Gharbi had the first real chance of the game, hitting the left post with a left-footed shot in the 14th minute