AFCON 2025: Winless Tanzania advance to Round of 16 after draw with Tunisia
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Reading Time: 4min | Tue. 30.12.25. | 21:38
With qualification on the line, the match began cautiously as both sides sought control during the opening ten minutes
Tanzania produced a resilient second-half performance to hold Tunisia to a 1–1 draw in their final Group C match at the Stade Olympique de Rabat on Tuesday evening.
The result saw Tanzania book a ticket to the Round of 16 despite failing to win a single group stage match.
The CECAFA representatives qualified as one of the best third-placed teams in the tournament.
Azam SC attacking midfielder Feisal Salum struck shortly after the restart to cancel out Ismael Gharbi’s first-half penalty, earning Taifa Stars a place in the knockout stage.
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Going into the match, Tunisia sat second in Group C on three points, level with Tanzania but holding a superior goal difference.
The North Africans knew that victory or a point of would guarantee automatic qualification to the Round of 16 and eliminate any late complications.
Tanzania, placed third with a point, required nothing short of maximum points to keep alive their hopes of progressing as one of the four best third-placed teams.
With qualification on the line, the match began cautiously as both sides sought control during the opening ten minutes.
Tanzania registered the first meaningful attempt three minutes, before the quarter-hour mark when Salum unleashed a fierce low drive from nearly 25 yards, but the effort was comfortably gathered by Tunisian goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen.
Tunisia responded swiftly through Sébastien Tounekti, whose opportunistic strike following a loose ball in the Tanzanian defence was timely intercepted by Dickson Job, averting the danger with a sharp left-footed block.
Moments later, Tanzania threatened again, as captain Mbwana Samatta surged through the Tunisian backline, only for Ismael Gharbi to recover with a crucial low interception.
Tunisia began to assert themselves as the half progressed, with Gharbi at the heart of their attacking thrust.
The FC Augsburg forward was twice denied in quick succession, first blasting wide after being picked out by Montassar Talbi, then rattling the upright with a superbly struck volley that beat goalkeeper Hussein Masalanga.
Four minutes before the half-hour mark, Gharbi attempted an audacious long-range effort after collecting a loose ball near the halfway line, catching Masalanga off his line but narrowly missing the target.
Tanzania nearly found the breakthrough through Novatus Dismas Miroshi, who rose highest to meet Simon Msuva’s corner, only for Dahmen to punch the header clear under pressure.
Eight minutes before the interval, Tunisia were awarded a penalty following a VAR review after Ibrahim Abdalla was adjudged to have fouled Hazem Mastouri in the build-up.
Gharbi stepped up and confidently sent Masalanga the wrong way to give Tunisia a deserved lead.
Tanzania almost restored parity moments later when Bakari Mwamnyeto volleyed goalwards, but Dahmen reacted swiftly to parry the ball to safety as Tunisia went into the break holding a narrow advantage.
Tanzania emerged from the interval with renewed intent and were rewarded almost immediately.
Msuva tested the Tunisian defence two minutes into the half before Salum delivered a moment of quality, collecting the ball from range and firing a thunderous low strike that skidded past Dahmen to restore parity.
Buoyed by the equaliser, Tanzania continued to press.
At the hour mark, Alphonce Mabula Msanga burst into the penalty area, but Yassine Meriah produced a timely block to deny the Shamakhi FK attacker.
Msuva came close again moments later, glancing a header just wide after drifting past Ellyes Skhiri, as Tanzania sensed an opportunity to claim all three points.
Tunisia responded with renewed urgency in the closing stages.
Yan Valery was denied by a perfectly timed sliding tackle from Abdalla, while Tounekti went agonisingly close fifteen minutes from time, only for Masalanga to rush off his line and produce a crucial save.
Despite sustained pressure from both sides in the final moments, neither could find a decisive breakthrough, and the match ended honours even.
The result saw Tunisia finish second in Group C on four points, while Tanzania placed third on two points, awaiting confirmation of their fate among the best third-placed teams.
AFCON 2025 - GROUP STAGE
3rd round
Monday
Angola - Egypt 0-0
Zimbabwe - South Africa 2-3 (1-1)
/Maswanhise 19, Modiba 73 og - Moremi 7, Foster 50, Appollis 82 pen/
Comoros - Mali 0-0
Zambia - Morocco 0-3 (0-2)
/El Kaabi 9, 50, Diaz 27/
Tuesday
Tanzania - Tunisia 1-1 (0-1)
/Salum 48 - Gharbi 43 pen/
Uganda - Nigeria 1-3 (0-1)
/Mato 75 - Onuachu 28, Onyedika 62, 67/
22.00: (11.0) Benin (5.20) Senegal (1.30)
22.00: (12.0) Botswana (5.60) DR Congo (1.27)
Wednesday
19.00: (6.00) Equatorial Guinea (3.60) Algeria (1.65)
19.00: (4.60) Sudan (3.35) Burkina Faso (1.87)
22.00: (6.00) Gabon (3.60) Ivory Coast (1.65)
22.00: (7.00) Mozambique (4.50) Cameroon (1.45)
***odds are subject to change***
