Tanzania came from behind to equalize with Tunisia in Group C at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), a result that ensured both teams advanced to the knockout stage.
The Carthage Eagles, champions in 2004, required a point to clinch second place behind Nigeria, while the East Africans progressed as the final of the four best third-placed teams, surpassing Angola on goal difference.
Ismael Gharbi had previously struck the left post and nearly caught Taifa Stars keeper Hussein Masalanga off his line from 45 yards before smoothly putting Tunisia in front from the penalty spot in the 43rd minute.
The penalty was granted following a review by the video assistant referee (VAR), as referee Jean Jacques Ndala Ngambo concluded that Ibrahim Hamad had obstructed Hazem Mastouri’s path with an arm around his neck while the Tunisia forward attempted to connect with a Hannibal Mejbri free kick.
Tanzania still had an opportunity to advance with a score draw, and Feisal Salum equalized at 1-1 early in the second half with a strike from outside the box that slipped inside the left post.
Opportunities were limited for both teams to secure a victory, with Tanzania forward Simon Msuva nearly scoring when he directed a corner into the side-netting at the near post.
The Taifa Stars are the first team to advance to the last 16 at an AFCON with just two points since the tournament was expanded to 24 teams in 2019.
On Saturday, 3 January (19:00 GMT), Tunisia will face Mali, the second-placed team in Group A, in Casablanca, while Tanzania, making their knockout stage debut, will stay in Rabat to take on the host nation, Morocco, the next day (16:00 GMT).
Tunisia defeated Uganda 3-1 in their opening match but suffered a 3-2 loss against Nigeria, putting Sami Trabelsi’s team in a challenging position to advance.
Tanzania was defeated by the Super Eagles in their opener and then managed to secure a 1-1 draw in the East African derby against the Cranes, with the possibility prior to the match that lots might be drawn to determine who progressed to the next stage.
If the Taifa Stars had ended in a 0-0 draw at the Olympic Stadium, they and Angola, who placed third in Group B, would have concluded with the same statistics.
Gharbi, in his initial start at the finals, was central to Tunisia’s finest moments in the first half, and his bending shot left Masalanga outmatched but hit the crossbar.
Carthage Eagles supporters comprised nearly the entire 15,205 attendance but were left speechless when goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen failed to stop Salum’s low strike from reaching the bottom corner in the 48th minute.
The North Africans showed minimal serious effort to secure victory, and their players faced a wave of boos and jeers at the final whistle for not defeating a team ranked 71 spots below them globally.
Miguel Angel Gamondi’s Tanzania faces a challenging match against the host nation in the upcoming round, particularly since the Taifa Stars have not secured a victory in 12 appearances at the AFCON finals, dating back to their first tournament in 1980.
