Tanzania End 45-Year Wait For Knockout Spot

Rabat, Morocco: Tanzania reached the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time, 45 years after their maiden appearance, by coming from behind to draw 1-1 with fellow qualifiers Tunisia in Rabat.

Ismael Gharbi converted a penalty just before half-time for Tunisia and Feisal Salum levelled early in the second half in the Moroccan capital.

Tanzania have been trying since 1980 to advance beyond the group stage, and have still to win a match in four appearances. They squeezed into the round of 16 after two draws and one loss.

Tunisia finished second in Group C with four points, five less than table-toppers Nigeria. Tanzania pipped Angola on goals scored for one of four places reserved for third-placed teams.

Raphael Onyedika scored twice as already qualified Nigeria overcame 10-man Uganda 3-1 in the other Group C match to maintain a 100 percent record after the group stage.

Only Tunisia know their next opponents. They will face Mali in Rabat on Saturday in the round of 16. Who Nigeria and Tanzania meet has yet to be decided.

Argentina-born Tanzania coach Miguel Gamondi gave an AFCON debut to 33-year-old goalkeeper Hussein Masaranga, one of three changes to the team that drew with Uganda in their previous match.

Tunisia coch Sami Trabelsi dropped another 33-year-old, captain Ferjani Sassi, to the bench, but the midfielder came on early in the second half to win his 100th cap. Ismael Gharbi struck the post for Tunisia early on. He then saw an audacious long-range effort land on the roof of the netting to the relief of poorly positioned Masaranga. Tunisia had a slight edge in possession and went ahead on 43 minutes when the Congolese referee awarded a penalty after reviewing a goalmouth incident on the pitchside VAR monitor.Nigeria's Raphael Onyedika (centre) celebrates with his teammates after scoring his team's third goal.

Big-screen replays showed Ibrahim Hamad fouling Hazem Mastouri. The spot kick was converted by Gharbi.

The lead did not last long, as Feisal Salum levelled two minutes into the second half. He fired goalwards from beyond the D and the ball sneaked into the corner past Aymen Dahmen.

In Fes, Nigeria went ahead on 28 minutes through a well constructed move that exploited space in the Ugandan defence.

A clever pass from Bruno Onyemaechi set up Fisayo Dele-Bashiru to deliver a low cross that Onuachu struck into the net despite being surrounded by three opponents. Uganda suffered a huge blow on 56 minutes when goalkeeper Salim Magoola was red-carded for handling outside the area. Magoola had replaced 40-year-old captain Denis Onyango for the second half.

Legason Alionz came on, the third goalkeeper used by Uganda with the match less than an hour old. He was beaten twice within eight minutes by Raphael Onyedika as Nigeria surged to a three-goal lead.

Onyedika twice found the bottom right corner with shots. Samuel Chukwueze, on loan to Fulham from AC Milan, set the midfielder up to score on both occasions.

Fae backs switching AFCON to every four years

Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae has backed the decision to play the Africa Cup of Nations every four years instead of two, saying that the change could benefit the development of football on the continent.

“It can be a good thing if alongside that we do what we need to do for the development of African football,” he said.

The Cup of Nations has almost always been held at two-year intervals since the first edition in 1957 but Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe announced the change on the eve of the ongoing tournament in Morocco.

Motsepe said that the tournament would go ahead every four years after the next two editions planned for 2027 and 2028, a decision that has been heavily criticised by some on the continent who see it as bowing to pressure from leading European clubs and FIFA.

He said an annual African Nations League -- along the lines of the UEFA Nations League -- would instead be introduced to boost the coffers of national federations.

“We are lucky in Africa now to have better infrastructure, better structured teams, better players, most of whom play for the best teams in Europe,” added Fae, who led the Elephants to the AFCON title in 2024.

“Holding the AFCON every four years would mean having a major tournament every two years with the World Cup too, but there needs to be another major competition in Africa like the planned Nations League.

“That would allow us to have games between teams like Morocco and Senegal every year, or Ivory Coast against Tunisia and Algeria against Mali.

“And I don't think that would penalise the smaller nations because I don't know that them losing games 5-0 or 6-0 really raises the level of African football.

“If they play against other teams of their level with the aim of being promoted, I think everyone will be a winner.”

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