After the break for Christmas celebrations, action returned to the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco with historic Boxing Day matches.
The matches were keenly contested with three ending in stalemates and only one producing a winner.
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In Rabat, Morocco were held to a 1–1 draw by a resolute Mali side in Group A, a match watched from the stands by France captain Kylian Mbappé.
In Casablanca, Zambia and Comoros shared the spoils in a goalless encounter, while Group B saw Angola and Zimbabwe draw 1–1 in Marrakech.
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The standout result of the day came in Agadir, where Mohamed Salah’s penalty sent Egypt through to the knockout phase at South Africa’s expense.
Mali frustrate hosts in Rabat
Morocco’s hopes of sealing early qualification were checked by Mali, who showed discipline and composure to earn a point against the hosts at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
As in their opening match, Walid Regragui’s side dominated possession and territory in the first half but struggled to break down a compact Malian block.
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Their persistence was rewarded deep into first-half stoppage time when a VAR review confirmed a handball, allowing Brahim Díaz to convert from the penalty spot in the 45+5th minute.
Mali responded with renewed confidence after the break and were rewarded just past the hour mark. Lassina Sinayoko was fouled inside the area and calmly dispatched the resulting penalty in the 64th minute to restore parity.
Despite late pressure and attacking substitutions from Morocco, the Malian defence held firm. “We needed to kill off the match while we had time,” Regragui said afterwards, admitting his side failed to manage their advantage. Mali coach Tom Saintfiet, meanwhile, praised his team’s resilience, saying they had “the quality and experience to deal with Moroccan attacks.”
The result leaves Group A finely balanced heading into the final round, with Morocco facing Zambia and Mali meeting Comoros.
Zambia and Comoros cancel out
Earlier in Casablanca, Zambia and Comoros played out a tense 0–0 draw that kept both teams’ qualification hopes alive.
The match was played at a high tempo, with Comoros seeing a first-half goal by Mzean Maoulida ruled out after a VAR review for a foul in the build-up. Despite enjoying spells of possession, neither side could find the decisive touch in the final third.
Comoros midfielder Youssouf Zaidou, named Man of the Match, admitted frustration. “Winning this award does not reduce my disappointment at missing out on victory,” he said, adding that the team must now “prepare to win the final match.”
Salah sends Egypt through
In Agadir, Egypt edged South Africa 1–0 to become the first team to qualify for the Round of 16.
The decisive moment arrived just before half-time when Mohamed Salah was fouled in the box and calmly converted the penalty in the 45th minute. It was his second goal of the tournament and another captain’s contribution at a critical moment.
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Egypt were reduced to ten men shortly after the restart when Mohamed Hany was sent off, inviting sustained pressure from South Africa.
However, the Pharaohs defended resolutely, with goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy and defender Yasser Ibrahim standing firm. A late South African penalty appeal was overturned following VAR review.
The win moved Egypt to six points in Group B, leaving South Africa needing a victory in their final match to progress.
Angola and Zimbabwe share points
Group B’s other fixture in Marrakech ended 1–1, as Angola and Zimbabwe both claimed their first points of the tournament.
Gelson Dala put Angola ahead in the 26th minute with a composed finish, but Zimbabwe hit back in first-half stoppage time through Knowledge Musona. Despite Angola’s dominance after the break, neither side could find a winner.
With qualification still undecided across both groups, AFCON 2025 heads into a decisive final round, where fine margins and discipline are likely to prove decisive once again.
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