Tanzania reached the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in their history, coming from behind to secure a 1-1 draw with Tunisia at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat.
The Carthage Eagles took the lead in the 43rd minute through an Ismaël Gharbi penalty, awarded after a lengthy VAR review confirmed Bakari Mwamnyeto had fouled Hazem Mastouri inside the area. Gharbi sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, giving Tunisia a crucial advantage heading into the interval.
Tanzania emerged from the break with renewed determination, and their persistence paid dividends in the 54th minute. Feisal Salum unleashed a precise low strike from the edge of the area that caught Aymen Dahmen off guard, the ball bouncing awkwardly before nestling into the net. The equaliser sent the Tanzanian supporters into raptures.
Tunisia, having adopted a cautious approach after the restart, struggled to regain their earlier momentum. Multiple substitutions from both sides disrupted the flow of the match, with each team appearing content with the outcome as the clock wound down.
The result confirms Tunisia’s place in the Round of 16 as Group C runners-up with four points, where they will face Mali on 3 January. More significantly, Tanzania’s two points from three matches proved sufficient to qualify as one of the four best third-placed teams—a historic achievement coming 45 years after their maiden AFCON appearance in 1980.
Argentina-born Tanzania coach Miguel Gamondi, appointed just last month, expressed immense pride in the achievement. “I wanted to change this mentality of Tanzania always being underdogs,” he said. “I hope this success will be a reminder to these players and the next generation of the potential of Tanzanian football.”
The Taifa Stars will now face tournament favourites Morocco in Rabat on Sunday, carrying the weight of a nation’s expectations into uncharted territory.
