Home Football AFCONAFCON 2025: Daka’s header earns Zambia draw against Mali

AFCON 2025: Daka’s header earns Zambia draw against Mali

Dec 22, 2025 08:47 PM GMT+00:00

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AFCON 2025: Daka’s header earns Zambia draw against Mali

Patson Daka’s dramatic stoppage-time header denied Mali all three points as Zambia fought back to secure a 1–1 draw in a gripping Group A encounter at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 on Monday night.

Mali appeared on course for victory after controlling large spells of the contest at Stade Mohammed V, but a moment of late defensive lapse allowed Zambia’s captain to strike at the death and earn his side a precious point.

The Eagles of Mali began the match with authority, dominating possession and pinning Zambia deep inside their own half from the opening minutes. Midfielders Mamadou Sangaré and Lassine Sinayoko orchestrated Mali’s attacking rhythm, while El Bilal Touré caused constant problems with his movement across the Zambian back line.

Despite their territorial control, Mali struggled to convert dominance into goals, with Zambia goalkeeper Willard Mwanza producing a series of key saves to keep his side level.

Penalty miss proves costly

Mali were handed a golden opportunity to take the lead when they were awarded a penalty, but Touré’s effort was brilliantly saved by Mwanza, a moment that would later prove pivotal.

The miss briefly lifted Zambia, who weathered the pressure and managed to reach halftime with the scoreline intact.

Mali’s persistence finally paid off shortly after the hour mark.

A loose ball inside the penalty area fell kindly to Sinayoko, who reacted quickest to smash a powerful effort beneath the crossbar in the 61st minute, giving the West Africans a deserved lead.

The goal reflected Mali’s superiority and seemed to set them on course for their first win of the tournament.

Zambia push for a response

Zambia responded by raising the tempo and committing more bodies forward. Fashion Sakala provided an outlet on the counter, using his pace to stretch the Malian defence. At the back, Mali remained organised, with Diaby marshalling the defensive line effectively as Zambia struggled to create clear-cut chances.

Sensing the need to protect the lead, Mali coach Tom Saintfiet introduced fresh legs late on, bringing on Doumbia and Diarra to shore things up. Sinayoko nearly sealed the win moments later, his curling effort narrowly missing the top corner.

Daka delivers late drama

Just when Mali thought they had done enough, Zambia struck.

Deep into stoppage time, a lapse in marking allowed Patson Daka to rise highest in the box and power a header into the net, silencing the Casablanca crowd and rescuing a dramatic draw for the Chipolopolo.

The equaliser felt like a victory for Zambia and a crushing blow for Mali, who had controlled the match for long stretches.

Post-Match Reactions

Tom Saintfiet (Mali coach):
“The equaliser was very painful. We wanted three goals in this match and controlled the game for 90 minutes. After the missed penalty, emotions played a role. This draw feels like a defeat for us, but our ambition to reach the final remains alive.”

Moses Sichone (Zambia coach):
“A match lasts 90 minutes and you should never give up. I pushed my players until the end and they responded. We conceded from a mistake, but the character shown was important. This is a very competitive group and we will continue to work.”

Group A Outlook

The draw leaves Group A finely balanced, with both Mali and Zambia knowing that results against tournament hosts Morocco and Comoros could define their knockout hopes.

For Mali, the focus now shifts to avoiding defeat against Morocco, while Zambia will take confidence from a resilient performance that showed belief until the final whistle.