Angola 1-1 Zimbabwe: Report, result, goals from AFCON 2025
AFCON 2025 featured Angola vs Zimbabwe on Friday
Angola and Zimbabwe earned their first points at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) but will have to spring a surprise in their final group-stage matches after an entertaining draw in Marrakech on Friday.
Palancas Negras forward Gelson Dala smashed in the 24th-minute opener from To Carneiro’s deft chip, but 35-year-old Warriors icon Knowledge Musona brought down Bill Antonio’s pass with exquisite accuracy before applying a finish to match for the equaliser during first-half added time.
Angola lost their opener 2-1 to South Africa and Zimbabwe were beaten by the same scoreline after leading against Egypt, meaning both teams need a positive result as considerable underdogs in four days’ time.
He was everywhere today. Fredy is your TotalEnergies Man of the Match against Zimbabwe. 🌟🇦🇴#TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 | @Football2Gether pic.twitter.com/DAanM8bKhn
— TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 (@CAF_Online) December 26, 2025
Table of Contents
Angola 1-1 Zimbabwe: Dala, Musona strike
These sides had made encouraging starts to their campaigns despite losses, Angola only losing to a 91st-minute strike from Liverpool forward Mo Salah after Burnley’s Lyle Foster had curled in a late winner to condemn Zimbabwe to defeat.
Egypt or South Africa will advance with a game to spare if either wins their later game in Group B in Agadir on Friday (15:00 GMT / 10:00 ET / 07:00 PT).
All four sides in the section complete their opening fixtures on Monday (16:00 GMT / 11:00 ET / 08:00 PT), when Angola take on Egypt in Agadir and Zimbabwe are in Marrakech to play South Africa.
Angola team vs Zimbabwe
Angola’s three changes included bringing in Nottingham Forest centre-back David Carmo, who is on loan to Oviedo.
Winger Manuel Benson – currently being borrowed from Burnley by Swansea City – was also new in their side, as was Vitoria midfielder Beni.
Kialonda Gaspar, Maestro and Zito Luvumbo made way. AEK Athens forward Zini Salvador had been ruled out of the tournament after sustaining an injury at club level.
Angola starting XI: Hugo Marques, Clinton Mata, Jonathan Buatu, David Carmo, To Carneiro, Manuel Benson, Beni, Fredy, Show, Gelson Dala, M’Bala Nzola
Angola substitutes: Signori Antonio, Nurio Fortuna, Kialonda Gaspar, Milson, Maestro, Ary Papel, Randy Nteka, Zito Luvumbo, Mabululu, Eddie Afonso, Neblu, Mario Balburdia, Rui Modesto, Chico Banza, Pedro Bondo
Zimbabwe team vs Angola
Experienced forward Knowledge Musona came in to the starting line-up for Zimbabwe, who were without Walter Musona – a scorer twice in qualifying.
Defender Divine Lunga, winger Bill Antonio and forward Macauley Bonne, of English eighth-tier team Maldon & Tiptree, were also new faces in their side.
Godknows Murwira, Munashe Garan’anga, Daniel Msendami and Washington Navaya moved to the bench.
Zimbabwe starting XI: Washington Arubi, Gerald Takwara, Marvelous Nakamba, Teenage Hadebe, Emmanuel Jalai, Prince Dube, Jonah Fabisch, Bill Antonio, Divine Lunga, Macauley Bonne, Knowledge Musona
Zimbabwe substitutes: Elvis Chipezeze, Sean Fusire, Prosper Padera, Washington Navaya, Brendan Galloway, Daniel Msendami, Martin Mapisa, Tawanda Maswanhise, Tawanda Chirewa, Godknows Murwira, Isheanesu Mauchi, Alec Mudimu, Ishmael Wadi, Junior Zindoga
28Tadiwa Chakuchichi
Angola vs Zimbabwe stats
- On the three occasions when Angola have lost their opening game (1996, 2006 and 2025), they have drawn their following match
- They have never lost their opening game and progressed to the knockout rounds
- In 10 second group AFCON games, Angola have won three (2008 vs Senegal, 2010 vs Mali, 2023 vs Mauritania), drawn five and lost two (both to South Africa, in 1996 and 2013)
- Three of Angola’s last seven AFCON goals have been scored following a free kick, all assisted by Fredy
- Zimbabwe have never won inside their first two games at the finals, with all four of their wins in their final group game
- Their overall AFCON record is W3 D3 L11
- None of their games at the finals have ended 0-0 and they have never recorded a clean sheet
- This was their second game against a fellow Southern African team at AFCON; the first was a 2–1 loss to Malawi in their second group game in 2021
- A run of scoring in each of their last four games is the longest run of successive goals at the AFCON in their history
- In six AFCON appearances, they have lost their second group games four times (2004, 2006, 2017, 2021) and drawn twice (2019, 2025)
Angola AFCON 2025 squad
Goalkeepers: Neblu (Primero Agosto), Hugo Marques (Petro de Luanda), Dominique (Etoile Carouge).
Defenders: Rui Modesto (Udinese), Eddie Afonso (Petro de Luanda), To Carneiro (AS FAR), Nurio Fortuna (Volos FC), Pedro Bondo (Famalicao), David Carmo (Real Oviedo), Buatu (Gil Vicente), Gaspar (Lecce), Clinton Mata (Lyon).
Midfielders: Beni Mukendi (Victoria SC), Show (Kocaelispor), Fredy (Bodrumspor), Maestro (Alanyaspor), Manuel Keliano (Akhmat Grozny), Mario Balburdia (Boluspor).
Forwards: Zito Luvumbo (Cagliari), Manuel Benson (Swansea City), Milson (Crvena Zvezda), Chico Banza (Zamalek), Gelson Dala (Al Wakrah), Randy Nteka (Rayo Vallecano), Ary Papel (Al Akhdar), Mabululu (Al Ahli Tripoli), Mbala Nzola (Pisa), Zine (AEK Athens).
Zimbabwe AFCON 2025 squad
Goalkeepers: Washington Arubi (Marumo Gallants), Elvis Chipezeze (Magesi), Martin Mapisa (MWOS FC).
Defenders: Godknows Murwira (Scottland), Emmanuel Jalai (Dynamos FC), Sean Fusire (Sheffield Wednesday), Munashe Garananga (FC Copenhagen), Gerald Takwara (Al Ittihad Misurata), Isheanesu Mauchi (Simba Bhora), Brendon Galloway (Plymouth Argyle), Teenage Hadebe (FC Cincinnati), Alec Mudimu (Flint Town United), Divine Lunga (Mamelodi Sundowns).
Midfielders: Marvelous Nakamba (Luton Town), Jonah Fabisch (Erzgebirg Aue), Andy Rinomhota (Reading), Prosper Padera (SJK Seinajoki), Tawanda Chirewa (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Knowledge Musona (Scottland)
Forwards: Bill Antonio (KV Mechelen), Ishmael Wadi (CAPS United), Tawanda Maswanhise (Motherwell), Daniel Msendami (Marumo Gallants), Prince Dube (Young Africans), Washington Navaya (TelOne FC), Macauley Bonne (Maldon & Tiptree), Junior Zindoga (TS Galaxy), Tadiwanashe Chakuchichi (Scottland)
AFCON 2025 fixtures, full Africa Cup of Nations schedule
Sunday, December 21 2025
- Group A: Morocco 2-0 Comoros (Rabat)
Monday, December 22 2025
- Group A: Mali 1-1 Zambia (Casablanca)
- Group B: South Africa 2-1 Angola (Marrakech)
- Group B: Egypt 2-1 Zimbabwe (Agadir)
Tuesday, December 23 2025
- Group D: Senegal 3-0 Botswana (Tangie)
- Group D: DR Congo 1-0 Benin (Rabat)
- Group C: Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania (Fes)
- Group C: Tunisia 3-1 Uganda (Rabat)
Wednesday, December 24 2025
- Group E: Burkina Faso 2-1 Equatorial Guinea (Casablanca)
- Group E: Algeria 3-0 Sudan (Rabat)
- Group F: Ivory Coast 1-0 Mozambique (Marrakech)
- Group F: Cameroon 1-0 Gabon (Agadir)
Friday, December 26 2025
- Group B: Angola vs Zimbabwe (Marrakech, 12:30)
- Group B: Egypt vs South Africa (Agadir, 15:00)
- Group A: Zambia vs Comoros (Casablanca, 17:30)
- Group A: Morocco vs Mali (Rabat, 20:00)
Saturday, December 27 2025
- Group D: Benin vs Botswana (Rabat, 12:30)
- Group D: Senegal vs DR Congo (Tangier, 15:00)
- Group C: Uganda vs Tanzania (Rabat 3, 17:30)
- Group C: Nigeria vs Tunisia (Fes, 20:00)
Sunday, December 28 2025
- Group F: Gabon vs Mozambique (Agadir, 12:30)
- Group E: Equatorial Guinea vs Sudan (Casablanca, 15:00)
- Group E: Algeria vs Burkina Faso (Rabat, 17:30)
- Group F: Ivory Coast vs Cameroon, (Marrakech, 20:00)
Monday, December 29 2025
- Group B: Angola vs Egypt (Agadir, 16:00)
- Group B: Zimbabwe vs South Africa (Marrakech, 16:00)
- Group A: Comoros vs Mali (Casablanca, 19:00)
- Group A: Zambia vs Morocco (Rabat, 19:00)
Tuesday, December 30 2025
- Group C: Tanzania vs Tunisia (Rabat, 16:00)
- Group C: Uganda vs Nigeria (Fes, 16:00)
- Group D: Benin vs Senegal (Tangier, 19:00)
- Group D: Botswana vs DR Congo (Rabat, 19:00)
Wednesday, December 31 2025
- Group E: Equatorial Guinea vs Algeria (Rabat, 16:00)
- Group E: Sudan vs Burkina Faso (Casablanca, 16:00)
- Group F: Gabon vs Ivory Coast (Marrakech, 19:00)
- Group F: Mozambique vs Cameroon (Agadir, 19:00)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 round of 16
Saturday, January 3 2026
- SR1: Group D winners vs Group B/E/F third-place (Tangier, 16:00)
- SR2: Group A runners-up vs Group C runners-up (Casablanca, 19:00)
Sunday, January 4
- SR3: Group A winners vs Group C/D/E third-place (Rabat, 16:00)
- SR4: Group B runners-up vs Group F runners-up (Rabat, 19:00)
Monday, January 5
- SR5: Group B winners vs Group A/C/D third-place (Agadir, 6pm)
- SR6: Group C winners vs Group A/B/F third-place (Fes, 8:30pm)
Tuesday, January 6
- SR7: Group E winners vs Group D runners-up (Rabat 2, 6pm)
- SR8: Group F winners vs Group E runners-up (Marrakech, 8:30pm)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 quarter-finals
Friday, January 9
- QF1: Winner SR2 vs Winner SR1 (Tangier, 16:00)
- QF2: Winner SR4 vs Winner SR3 (Rabat, 19:00)
Saturday, January 10
- QF3: Winner SR7 vs Winner SR6 (Marrakech, 16:00)
- QF4: Winner SR5 vs Winner SR8 (Agadir, 19:00)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 semi-finals
Wednesday, January 14
- SF1: Winner QF1 vs Winner QF4 (Tangier, 17:00)
- SF2: Winner QF3 vs Winner QF2 (Rabat, 20:00)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 third-place match
Saturday, January 17
- SF1 vs SF2 losers (Casablanca, 16:00)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 final
Sunday, January 18
- SF1 vs SF2 winners (Rabat, 19:00)