Zambia Strike Late To Hold Mali In AFCON Opener

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In injury time, Leicester City’s Patson Daka headed home as Zambia held Mali to a 1-1 draw in their opening Africa Cup of Nations game on Monday.

At the conclusion of the game, Daka threw himself at a Mathews Banda cross in the second added minute to give the Chipolopolo an unlikely point. Daka has only scored once for Leicester this season.

On December 22, 2025, at Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco, Zambia’s forward #20, Patson Daka celebrates scoring his country’s first goal in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group A football match between Mali and Zambia. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT/AFP)

El Bilal Toure wasted a penalty late in the first half at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca, but Mali predominated the majority of the Group A game.

Willard Mwanza, the Zambia goalkeeper, saved Toure’s kick after Banda had been penalized for catching Nene Dorgeles in the box during a VAR check.

Read more about AFCON’s Osimhen’s statement, “Our Chance To Apologize To Nigerians After World Cup Failure,” HERE.

Just after the hour mark, Mali did well when Lassine Sinayoko of Auxerre fired home after a corner from close range.

However, Daka’s late effort saved Mali, which will benefit Morocco, who defeated Comoros 2-0 on Sunday in the tournament’s opening match of the same section.

Morocco and Mali next face off in Rabat on Friday, while Zambia will face the Comoros, who haven’t won any of their 10 AFCON games since winning the trophy in 2012.