Patson Daka’s dramatic stoppage-time header denied Mali victory as Zambia snatched a 1–1 draw in a tense Group A encounter at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 on Monday.

Mali had looked set to claim all three points after dominating long spells of the contest, but a late lapse in concentration allowed Zambia’s talisman to strike at the death and earn the Chipolopolo a valuable point.

The Eagles started brightly and imposed themselves from the opening exchanges, controlling possession and pushing Zambia deep inside their own half. Mamadou Sangaré and Lassine Sinayoko were at the heart of Mali’s attacking play, while El Bilal Touré tested the Zambian back line with his movement.

DespiteMali’s dominance, clear chances were limited, with Zambia goalkeeper Willard Mwanza producing a series of important interventions to keep his side in the contest. His most significant moment came when he saved a penalty from Touré, preserving parity at a crucial stage of the match.

Mali’s breakthrough finally arrived just after the hour mark. A loose ball inside the area fell to Sinayoko, who reacted quickest and smashed a powerful effort beneath the crossbar to give the West Africans a deserved lead.

Zambia responded by increasing the tempo and committing more bodies forward. Fashion Sakala led the counter-attacks with pace and direct running, but Mali’s defence, marshalled effectively by Diaby, held firm for much of the second half.

With twenty minutes remaining, Mali coach Tom Saintfiet sought to protect the advantage by introducing fresh defensive legs, replacing Dorgeles Nene and Touré with Doumbia and Diarra. Sinayoko nearly sealed the contest moments later, his curling effort shaving the top corner.

However, Zambia refused to relent. Deep into stoppage time, a lapse in marking proved costly as Daka rose highest in the box to power home a header, silencing the Casablanca crowd and rescuing a dramatic draw.

The final whistle confirmed a frustrating outcome for Mali, who had controlled much of the contest but failed to capitalise fully. Zambia, meanwhile, showed resilience and belief, underlining their capacity to remain competitive until the very end.

Post-match reactions

Tom Saintfiet – Mali coach: “The equaliser was very painful. We were aiming to score three goals in this match. Our difficulties began after the missed penalty. We must not let emotions take over. I would have preferred to take all three points against Zambia, especially after controlling the game for 90 minutes. This equaliser felt like a victory for Zambia and a defeat for us. Now we have to prepare properly for the next matches. Zambia have good players in midfield and they prevented us from achieving our objectives. Now we will need at least a point against Morocco in the next match. We have to finish second in the group. We said we want to reach the final, and that is still possible.”

Moses Sichone – Zambia coach: “My players did the job against Mali. It was our opening match and it was not easy. We conceded a goal at an unexpected moment — a gift we gave away — and that is something we must correct. A match lasts 90 minutes and you should never give up. That is why I pushed my players right to the end. We are in a very competitive group, and I congratulate Morocco on their win against Comoros. Our next opponents, Comoros, put in a solid performance. We will prepare well and continue to work. We have our strengths and players who are ready.” (CAFonline.com)

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