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Tanzania and Tunisia both reached the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) knockout stage with a draw in their closing match in Group C.
Ismael Gharbi shot against the woodwork early on before putting Tunisia in front with a penalty two minutes before half-time after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review ruled that Ibrahim Hamad had fouled Hazem Mastouri.
Feisal Salum equalised with a low shot inside a post three minutes after the restart, sending Tanzania to the last 16 on goals scored as one of the four best-placed teams from the six groups.
Feisal Salum. What a shot. 🤩🇹🇿#TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 | #WePlayDifferent pic.twitter.com/oNhLgslK77
— TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 (@CAF_Online) December 30, 2025
Tanzania vs Tunisia: AFCON 2025 last 16 beckons
Tanzania made history as the first side to advance with two points since the format was changed in 2019.
The Taifa Stars’ reward for reaching the second round for the first time is a meeting with host nation and title favourites Morocco in Rabat on Sunday (16:00 GMT / 11:00 ET / 08:00 PT).
Tunisia, who were champions in 2004, will face Group A runners-up Mali in Casablanca on Saturday (19:00 GMT / 14:00 ET / 11:00 PT).
Tanzania team vs Tunisia
Tanzania made three changes, rotating Kelvin John with experienced forward Mbwana Samatta, who was once the subject of an £8.5 million move from Genk to Aston Villa.
Hussein Masalanga replaced Zuberi Foba in goal and midfielder Tarryn Allarakhia, of English fifth-tier side Rochdale, made way for Dickson Job.
Defender Haji Mnoga, of English fourth-tier side Salford City, conceded a penalty and was booked three days earlier but retained his place.
Tanzania starting XI: Hussein Masalanga, Dickson Job, Bakari Mwamnyeto, Ibrahim Hamad, Mohamed Hussein, Haji Mnoga, Alphonce Msanga, Feisal Salum, Novatus Miroshi, Simon Msuva, Mbwana Samatta
Tanzania substitutes: Zuberi Foba, Pascal Msindo, Nickson Kibabage, Iddy Nado, Charles M’Mombwa, Selemani Abdallah, Kibu Denis, Wilson Nangu, Khalid Iddi, Lusajo Mwaikenda, Kelvin John, Shomari Kapombe, Yusuph Kagoma, Kelvin Nashon, Tarryn Allarakhia
Tunisia team vs Tanzania
Tunisia made two changes, bringing in the substitutes they used three days ago in Celtic winger Sebastian Tounekti and Braga midfielder Ismael Gharbi.
Mohamed Ben Romdhane and Ferjani Sassi moved to the bench.
Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri produced an assist in each of Tunisia’s first two games. Elias Achouri scored twice against Uganda, with Ellyes Skhiri opening the scoring.
Tunisia starting XI: Aymen Dahmen, Yan Valery, Montassar Talbi, Ali Abdi, Sebastian Tounekti, Hannibal Mejbri, Dylan Bronn, Ellyes Skhiri, Ismael Gharbi, Elias Achouri, Hazem Mastouri
Tunisia substitutes: Noureddine Farhati, Yassine Meriah, Mohamed Ben Romdhane, Ali Maâloul, Ferjani Sassi, Mohamed Ben Ali, Hadj Mahmoud, Nader Ghandri, Firas Chaouat, Mortadha Ben Ouanes, Bechir Ben Said, Naim Sliti, Adem Arous, Houssem Tka, Seifeddine Jaziri
Tanzania v Tunisia: AFCON 2025 stats
Tanzania have never won an AFCON match (D4 L7) and are the fourth nation, after Mozambique (16), Benin (15) and Guinea-Bissau (12), to fail to win any of their first 12 games at the finals
In three closing group-stage matches, their only defeat is a 3-0 loss to Algeria in 2019
They lost their second group match after winning their opener for the first time since 2013
The Eagles of Carthage have failed to win their final group match at each of the last four AFCON tournaments
A 4-2 win over Zimbabwe in 2017 is their most recent victory in such a game
Tunisia are in the knockout stage for a 15th time
Tanzania AFCON 2025 squad
Goalkeepers:Â Yakoub Suleiman (Simba), Hussein Masalanga (Singida Black Stars), Zuberi Foba (Azam)
Defenders:Â Bakari Mwamnyeto (Young Africans), Shomari Kapombe (Simba), Lusajo Mwaikenda (Azam), Mohamed Hussein (Young Africans), Nickson Kibabage (Simba), Alphonse Mabula (Shamakhi), Wilson Nangu (Simba), Pascal Msindo (Azam), Ibrahim Abdulla (Young Africans), Haji Mnoga (Salford City), Dickson Job (Young Africans)
Midfielders: Habibu Idd (Singida Black Stars), Tarryn Allarakhia (Rochdale), Charles M’Mombwa (Floriana), Yusuph Kagoma (Simba), Morice Abraham (Simba), Feisal Salum (Azam), Kelvin Nashon (Pamba Jiji), Novatus Miroshi (Goztepe)
Forwards:Â Abdul Suleiman (Azam), Iddy Suleiman Nado (Azam), Kibu Denis (Simba), Mbwana Samatta (Le Havre), Kelvin John (Aalborg), Simon Msuva (Al-Talaba)
Tunisia AFCON 2025 squad
Goalkeepers:Â Aymen Dahmen (CS Sfaxien), Bechir Ben Said (Esperance), Noureddine Farhati (Stade Tunisien), Sabri Ben Hassen (ES Sahel)
Defenders:Â Yassine Meriah (Esperance), Montassar Talbi (Lorient), Dylan Bronn (Servette), Adem Arous (Kasimpasa), Nader Ghandri (Akhmat Grozny), Mohamed Ben Ali (Esperance), Yan Valery (Sheffield Wednesday), Ali Abdi (Nice), Mortadha Ben Ouanes (Kasimpasa), Ali Maaloul (CS Sfaxien)
Midfielders:Â Ellyes Skhiri (Eintracht Frankfurt), Houssem Tka (Esperance), Ferjani Sassi (Al-Gharafa), Ismael Gharbi (FC Augsburg), Mohamed Belhadj Mahmoud (Lugano), Hannibal Mejbri (Burnley), Naim Sliti (Al-Shamal), Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane (Al Ahly)
Forwards:Â Elias Saad (Augsburg), Elias Achouri (FC Copenhagen), Sebastian Tounekti (Celtic), Firas Chaouat (Club Africain), Hazem Mastouri (Dynamo Makhachkala), Seifeddine Jaziri (Zamalek)
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AFCON 2025 fixtures, full Africa Cup of Nations schedule
Sunday, December 21 2025
Group A: Morocco 2-0 Comoros (Rabat)
Monday, December 22 2025
Group A: Mali 1-1 Zambia (Casablanca)
Group B: South Africa 2-1 Angola (Marrakech)
Group B: Egypt 2-1 Zimbabwe (Agadir)
Tuesday, December 23 2025
Group D: Senegal 3-0 Botswana (Tangie)
Group D: DR Congo 1-0 Benin (Rabat)
Group C: Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania (Fes)
Group C: Tunisia 3-1 Uganda (Rabat)
Wednesday, December 24 2025
Group E: Burkina Faso 2-1 Equatorial Guinea (Casablanca)
Group E: Algeria 3-0 Sudan (Rabat)
Group F: Ivory Coast 1-0 Mozambique (Marrakech)
Group F: Cameroon 1-0 Gabon (Agadir)
Friday, December 26 2025
Group B: Angola 1-1 Zimbabwe (Marrakech)
Group B: Egypt 1-0 South Africa (Agadir)
Group A: Zambia 0-0 Comoros (Casablanca)
Group A: Morocco 1-1 Mali (Rabat)
Saturday, December 27 2025
Group D: Benin 1-0 Botswana (Rabat)
Group D: Senegal 1-1 DR Congo (Tangier)
Group C: Uganda 1-1 Tanzania (Rabat)
Group C: Nigeria 3-2 Tunisia (Fes)
Sunday, December 28 2025
Group F: Gabon 2-3 Mozambique (Agadir)
Group E: Equatorial Guinea 0-1 Sudan (Casablanca)
Group E: Algeria 1-0 Burkina Faso (Rabat)
Group F: Ivory Coast 1-1 Cameroon, (Marrakech)
Sunday, December 28 2025
Group F: Gabon 2-3 Mozambique (Agadir)
Group E: Equatorial Guinea 0-1 Sudan (Casablanca)
Group E: Algeria 1-0 Burkina Faso (Rabat)
Group F: Ivory Coast 1-1 Cameroon, (Marrakech)
Monday, December 29 2025
Group B: Angola vs Egypt (Agadir, 16:00)
Group B: Zimbabwe vs South Africa (Marrakech, 16:00)
Group A: Comoros vs Mali (Casablanca, 19:00)
Group A: Zambia vs Morocco (Rabat, 19:00)
Tuesday, December 30 2025
Group C: Tanzania 1-1 Tunisia (Rabat)
Group C: Uganda 1-3 Nigeria (Fes)
Group D: Benin vs Senegal (Tangier, 19:00)
Group D: Botswana vs DR Congo (Rabat, 19:00)
Wednesday, December 31 2025
Group E: Equatorial Guinea vs Algeria (Rabat, 16:00)
Group E: Sudan vs Burkina Faso (Casablanca, 16:00)
Group F: Gabon vs Ivory Coast (Marrakech, 19:00)
Group F: Mozambique vs Cameroon (Agadir, 19:00)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 round of 16
Saturday, January 3 2026
SR1: Group D winners vs Group B/E/F third-place (Tangier, 16:00)
SR2: Group A runners-up vs Group C runners-up (Casablanca, 19:00)
Sunday, January 4
SR3: Group A winners vs Group C/D/E third-place (Rabat, 16:00)
SR4: Group B runners-up vs Group F runners-up (Rabat, 19:00)
Monday, January 5
SR5: Group B winners vs Group A/C/D third-place (Agadir, 6pm)
SR6: Group C winners vs Group A/B/F third-place (Fes, 8:30pm)
Tuesday, January 6
SR7: Group E winners vs Group D runners-up (Rabat 2, 6pm)
SR8: Group F winners vs Group E runners-up (Marrakech, 8:30pm)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 quarter-finals
Friday, January 9
QF1: Winner SR2 vs Winner SR1 (Tangier, 16:00)
QF2: Winner SR4 vs Winner SR3 (Rabat, 19:00)
Saturday, January 10
QF3: Winner SR7 vs Winner SR6 (Marrakech, 16:00)
QF4: Winner SR5 vs Winner SR8 (Agadir, 19:00)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 semi-finals
Wednesday, January 14
SF1: Winner QF1 vs Winner QF4 (Tangier, 17:00)
SF2: Winner QF3 vs Winner QF2 (Rabat, 20:00)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 third-place match
Saturday, January 17
SF1 vs SF2 losers (Casablanca, 16:00)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 final
Sunday, January 18
SF1 vs SF2 winners (Rabat, 19:00)
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