The Africa Cup of Nations rarely waits long to deliver chaos and emotion. Monday night in Morocco brought all of it, as last-minute goals reshaped Group A and Group B, leaving Mali heartbroken, Zambia revived, Egypt relieved, and South Africa encouraged. It was a reminder that at AFCON, control means nothing until the final whistle.
In Group A, Mali were seconds away from a statement win before Patson Daka tore the script apart. The Eagles dominated long spells, moved the ball with confidence, and looked in command after Lassine Sinayoko’s powerful strike gave them a deserved lead just after the hour. Zambia were stretched, pinned back, and clinging on.
Mali’s authority was built through midfield control. Mamadou Sangaré dictated tempo, Sinayoko buzzed between the lines, and El Bilal Touré’s movement caused constant problems. The missed penalty, saved brilliantly by Willard Mwanza, became the moment that kept Zambia alive.
As the clock ticked into stoppage time, Mali’s focus slipped once. That was enough. Daka rose highest, powered home a header, and silenced the stadium. Tom Saintfiet did not hide the pain afterward, saying, “This equaliser felt like a victory for Zambia and a defeat for us.”
Zambia coach Moses Sichone praised belief over brilliance. “A match lasts 90 minutes and you should never give up,” he said, framing the draw as a foundation rather than fortune. For Mali, the result leaves little margin ahead of a daunting clash with hosts Morocco.
Group B delivered its own twist through a familiar Egyptian saviour. Mohamed Salah rescued Egypt deep into stoppage time, completing a 2–1 comeback that felt inevitable in pressure but uncertain in execution. Zimbabwe had stunned the seven-time champions with a slick opening goal from Prince Dube.
Egypt dominated possession but lacked sharpness before the break. Hossam Hassan admitted, “In the first half we were not very focused.” After the restart, the tempo rose, the full-backs pushed higher, and Omar Marmoush changed the rhythm.
Marmoush’s equaliser eased the tension. Salah’s late winner released it. “The most important thing is the victory,” Marmoush said, reflecting a squad that values survival as much as style.
Zimbabwe coach Mario Marinica took pride despite the setback. “The quality of the Egyptian players made the difference,” he said, as his side now chase points elsewhere.
Earlier in the evening, South Africa set an early marker. Bafana Bafana beat Angola 2–1 with moments of fluency and lapses of focus. Oswin Appollis struck early, before Angola responded through Show’s clever flick from a set-piece.
Hugo Broos was frank afterward. “We played well, we scored, and then suddenly we fell asleep,” he said. His side woke up in the second half, pressed higher, and were rewarded when Lyle Foster curled home a superb winner.
Three matches, three stories, one message. At AFCON, control is fragile, belief is priceless, and the final minute still belongs to the brave.
