Tanzania’s Taifa Stars secured their maiden advancement to the Africa Cup of Nations knockout stage on December 30, 2025, holding Tunisia to a 1-1 draw in Rabat and ending a 45-year wait since their debut in 1980.
Feisal Salum’s equaliser early in the second half cancelled out Ismael Gharbi’s penalty just before the break, allowing Tanzania to progress as one of the four best third-placed teams despite remaining winless in four AFCON finals appearances.
The result saw Tunisia finish second in Group C with four points, while Tanzania accumulated two points from draws against Uganda and Tunisia, plus a loss to Nigeria. They edged Angola on goals scored to claim the crucial third-place spot that secured passage to the round of 16.
In the simultaneous Group C fixture in Fes, Nigeria maintained their perfect record with a 3-1 victory over 10-man Uganda. Paul Onuachu opened the scoring in the 28th minute before Raphael Onyedika struck twice in the second half following the red card shown to Uganda goalkeeper Salim Magoola in the 56th minute.
Nigeria topped the group with nine points from three wins, underlining a strong showing from the three-time champions led by coach Eric Chelle.
Tunisia, who finished as runners-up, already know their next opponents and will face Mali in Rabat on Saturday in the round of 16. Match pairings for Nigeria and Tanzania will be confirmed once all group-stage fixtures are concluded.
The 2025 AFCON, the 35th edition of the tournament hosted by Morocco, features an expanded 24-team format in which group winners, runners-up, and the four best third-placed teams advance. Tanzania’s achievement reflects the growing competitiveness of East African football, particularly with the country set to co-host the 2027 tournament alongside Kenya and Uganda.
Despite failing to record a win, Tanzania’s resilient performances two draws and a narrow defeat point to clear progress under Argentina-born coach Miguel Gamondi, who also handed a tournament debut to 33-year-old goalkeeper Hussein Masaranga.
For Tunisia, the draw ensured qualification but exposed defensive weaknesses ahead of the knockout rounds, with coach Sami Trabelsi’s side conceding late equalisers in two matches and finishing five points behind Nigeria.
