By Our Football Report er in Marrakech
THE scorching Moroccan sun beat down on the Grand Stade de Marrakech yesterday, but it was the heat on the pitch that left fans breathless as Angola and Zimbabwe fought to a pulsating 1-1 draw in their AFCON Group B encounter.
In the shadows of the Atlas Mountains, the “Red City” played host to a tactical chess match that saw both sides earn their first point of the tournament—though neither will be entirely satisfied with the outcome at this iconic venue.
The Stade de Marrakech, famous for its distinctive red-brick architecture and fortress-like exterior, provided a cinematic backdrop for Angola’s early dominance.
The Palancas Negras looked right at home on the lush turf, breaking the deadlock in the 24th minute. Qatar-based star Gelson Dala latched onto a peach of a lob from Tó Carneiro, slotting it past 40-year-old keeper Washington Arubi to send the traveling Angolan faithful into raptures.
However, the Grand Stade has a reputation for late drama, and Zimbabwe’s “Warriors” refused to be buried in the desert sand.
As the first half bled into six minutes of stoppage time, the legendary Knowledge Musona proved that class is permanent.
After Angola were caught napping in midfield, the 35-year-old veteran finished a lightning-fast counter-attack with a clinical strike, leveling the score just moments before the referee blew for the interval.
The second half saw the momentum swing back and forth under the Marrakech floodlights.
Angola’s Hugo Marques—playing with a heavily bandaged head after a nasty collision—produced heroics to keep the Warriors at bay, while Zimbabwe’s defense held firm against a late barrage of set-pieces.
While the 1-1 scoreline keeps both teams’ knockout dreams alive, they depart the central city knowing they face uphill battles against group heavyweights Egypt and South Africa.
For now, the spoils are shared in the desert, but the echoes of the Warriors’ comeback will ring through the Marrakech streets long into the night.
