Angola, Zimbabwe share points in AFCON Group B clash
Written by Abidoye Babatunde Blackcoin on 26 — 12
Angola and Zimbabwe remain winless at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with one group game remaining after they played out to a 1-1 draw at the Marrakesh Stadium on Saturday.
Patrice Beaumelle’s side dominated proceedings in the first half and took a deserved lead through Gelson Dala on 24 minutes, but Knowledge Musona hit back for the Warriors on the stroke of half-time.
Zimbabwe improved markedly in the second half and created the better chances, although Hugo Marquez refused to be beaten as he earned the Black Sable Antelopes a share of the spoils.
Both teams came into this Group B clash on the back of a defeat, with Angola losing 2-1 to South Africa, while Mario Marinica’s side squandered an early lead to fall to Egypt by the same scoreline.
The Black Sable Antelopes started strongly in Marrakesh, with Dala and Jonathan Buatu both forcing Washington Arubi into saves in the opening 15 minutes.
Arubi was called into action once more on 22 minutes to keep out M’Bala Nzola header from a cross, but he had to take the ball out the back of his neat two minutes later when Dala brought To Carneiro’s cross under control inside the box and slotted home into the bottom left corner.
The Warriors finally came to life in the 34th minute following a rare foray in attack which earned them a free-kick in a dangerous position. Knowledge Musona was wasteful though, as he smashed the ball wide of the right of the goal from the set-piece.
The veteran striker showed his class just over 10 minutes later, however, when he latched onto Bill Antonio’s lofted pass inside the box and fired past Marquez to equalise.
Angola looked to respond quickly after the restart, with Buatu running onto a pass inside the area and getting off a shot that was easily saved by Arubi on 49 minutes.
Zimbabwe then threatened soon afterwards as Prince Dube drew a comfortable save out of Marquez with a tame effort that was never going to beat the goalkeeper, who had to be at his best on 63 minutes to keep out a shot inside the box from Ishmael Wadi.
Marquez pulled off an even better save in the 78th minute after Tawanda Chirewa went on a solo run before unleashing a rocket that seemed destined for the roof of the net.
Arubi was not to be outdone though, as he belied his age with a stunning save to keep out a thunderbolt from Felicio Milson in the first minute of stoppage time.
