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After hosts Morocco opened the tournament with a 2-0 win over Comoros, attention in Group A turned to Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca, where Mali met Zambia in the day’s first fixture.
Mali were awarded a first-half penalty but failed to convert, before finally breaking the deadlock just after the hour mark through Lassine Sinayoko. Zambia refused to fold, and Patson Daka struck deep into stoppage time with a powerful header to seal a 1-1 draw.
Fans enthusiasm
“I think it was a very good game because football is, above all, a pleasure, so both teams played very well,” said one fan after the final whistle.
“The atmosphere was incredible. It was a big game for Mali, we supported them, and it was very cool to be here,” added another supporter.
“The game was quite tough for us in the first minutes, but we liked the spirit, how they fought after conceding. They didn’t relent, they worked very hard, and you know how sweet that last‑minute goal is,” a third fan said.
“I was supporting Mali, actually, but the game was interesting right to the end. It was exciting, and even though my team was leading, they were pegged back to a draw. But everything is OK,” another fan reflected.
“It finished as a draw and we are so excited. It was a great match. Both teams were strong today and it was good to see. We’ll be following Zambia all the way here in Morocco,” said a Zambian supporter.
The result leaves both Mali and Zambia two points behind Morocco in Group A. Next up, Zambia face Comoros in Casablanca, while Mali take on the hosts in Rabat in what already looks like a pivotal clash.
Group B nostalgia
Away from the stadium, Casablanca’s official AFCON 2025 fan park offered activities and a chance to soak up the tournament atmosphere. While Group A unfolded in the economic capital, Group B kicked off in Marrakech, where South Africa took on Angola.
South Africa made a winning start as Oswin Appollis put Bafana Bafana ahead, only for Angola to level before half-time. In the second half, Lyle Foster restored South Africa’s lead to clinch a 2-1 victory.
Egypt matched that 2-1 scoreline against Zimbabwe, coming from behind to take all three points. Prince Dube opened the scoring for Zimbabwe, but Omar Marmoush equalised before Mohamed Salah struck in stoppage time to complete the turnaround.
Salah captained the team in his first start for nearly a month and fired inside the bottom corner in stoppage time to spare Egypt embarrassment against a team ranked 129th in the world.
Egypt, the record seven-time champion, was thwarted for long periods in the coastal city of Agadir by Zimbabwe’s stubborn defending and an outstanding performance from goalkeeper Washington Arubi.
Those results set up a top-of-the-table showdown in Agadir on Friday, with Egypt’s Pharaohs facing South Africa’s Bafana Bafana. The sides have met three times previously at AFCON, with Egypt winning twice.
Video editor • Christophe Pitiot