Sports
AFCON 2025 starting line-ups, teams
Angola and Zimbabwe are seeking their first points at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) when the sides meet in Marrakech on Friday.
Show’s goal drew the Palancas Negras level against South Africa in their opening Group B match on Monday, but Burnley’s Lyle Taylor curled in the deciding goal 11 minutes from time in their 2-1 defeat.
The Warriors were unfortunate not to earn at least a point from their meeting with seven-time champions Egypt later that evening, Prince Dube giving them a 20th-minute lead before Manchester City striker Omar Marmoush equalised after the break and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah scored an added-time winner.
101GreatGoals.com has the team news and starting line-ups as Angola and Zimbabwe continue their AFCON 2025 campaigns.
Who dropped the beat? Angola lost it and we love to see it! 🎶🇦🇴#TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 pic.twitter.com/HwzulbQeZl
— TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 (@CAF_Online) December 19, 2025
Angola line-up vs Zimbabwe
Angola’s three changes include bringing in Nottingham Forest centre-back David Carmo, who is on loan to Oviedo.
Winger Manuel Benson – currently being borrowed from Burnley by Swansea City – is also new in their side, as is Vitoria midfielder Beni.
Kialonda Gaspar, Maestro and Zito Luvumbo make way. AEK Athens forward Zini Salvador was ruled out of the tournament after sustaining an injury at club level.
Angola starting XI: Hugo Marques, Clinton Mata, Jonathan Buatu, David Carmo, To Carneiro, Manuel Benson, Beni, Fredy, Show, Gelson Dala, M’Bala Nzola
Angola substitutes: Signori Antonio, Nurio Fortuna, Kialonda Gaspar, Milson, Maestro, Ary Papel, Randy Nteka, Zito Luvumbo, Mabululu, Eddie Afonso, Neblu, Mario Balburdia, Rui Modesto, Chico Banza, Pedro Bondo
Zimbabwe starting line-up vs Angola
Experienced forward Knowledge Musona, who has 26 international goals, comes in to the starting line-up for Zimbabwe, who are without Walter Musona – a scorer twice in qualifying.
Defender Divine Lunga, winger Bill Antonio and forward Macauley Bonne, of English eighth-tier team Maldon & Tiptree, are also new faces in their side.
Godknows Murwira, Munashe Garan’anga, Daniel Msendami and Washington Navaya move to the bench.
Zimbabwe starting XI: Washington Arubi, Gerald Takwara, Marvelous Nakamba, Teenage Hadebe, Emmanuel Jalai, Prince Dube, Jonah Fabisch, Bill Antonio, Divine Lunga, Macauley Bonne, Knowledge Musona
Zimbabwe substitutes: Elvis Chipezeze, Sean Fusire, Prosper Padera, Washington Navaya, Brendan Galloway, Daniel Msendami, Martin Mapisa, Tawanda Maswanhise, Tawanda Chirewa, Godknows Murwira, Isheanesu Mauchi, Alec Mudimu, Ishmael Wadi, Junior Zindoga
28Tadiwa Chakuchichi
How to watch Angola vs Zimbabwe: TV channel, live online stream
Kick-off on Friday is at 12:30 GMT (07:30 ET / 04:30 PT). In the UK, live AFCON 2025 coverage is on Channel 4’s 4seven, All 4 and YouTube channel. In the USA, beIN Sports is the tournament broadcaster.
Online live streaming is available on a vast range of devices through Channel 4’s website and app and the beIN Sports app.
Angola vs Zimbabwe stats
- Angola have failed to win nine of their ten opening AFCON games at AFCON (D6 L3), the exception in 2012 with a 2–1 win over Burkina Faso
- On the two previous occasions when Angola lost their opening game (1996 and 2006), they drew their following match
- They have never lost their opening game and progressed to the knockout rounds
- In nine previous second group AFCON games, Angola have won three (2008 vs Senegal, 2010 vs Mali, 2023 vs Mauritania), drawn four and lost two (both to South Africa, in 1996 and 2013)
- Show’s goal was his second for the national team in 50 appearances and his first at the finals in his eighth such game
- Fredy produced his fourth AFCON assist in his last four games but this was the first time Angola lost a game in which Fredy assisted, having won the previous two
- Their count of 23 fouls against South Africa is the most in a single AFCON game since at least 2010
- Three of Angola’s last six AFCON goals have been scored following a free kick, all assisted by Fredy
- Zimbabwe have never won inside their first two games at the finals, with all three of their wins in their final group game
- After scoring first but losing for a fifth time at the tournament, their overall AFCON record is W3 D2 L11
- None of their games at the finals have ended 0-0 and they have never recorded a clean sheet
- Dube’s goal was his seventh for the national team and first at AFCON on his seventh appearance
- This is their second game against a fellow Southern African team at AFCON; the first was a 2–1 loss to Malawi in their second group game in 2021
- A run of scoring in each of their last three games is the longest run of successive goals at the AFCON in their history
- In five previous AFCON appearances, they have lost their second group games four times (2004, 2006, 2017, 2021) and drawn once (2019)
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Angola AFCON 2025 squad
Goalkeepers: Neblu (Primero Agosto), Hugo Marques (Petro de Luanda), Dominique (Etoile Carouge).
Defenders: Rui Modesto (Udinese), Eddie Afonso (Petro de Luanda), To Carneiro (AS FAR), Nurio Fortuna (Volos FC), Pedro Bondo (Famalicao), David Carmo (Real Oviedo), Buatu (Gil Vicente), Gaspar (Lecce), Clinton Mata (Lyon).
Midfielders: Beni Mukendi (Victoria SC), Show (Kocaelispor), Fredy (Bodrumspor), Maestro (Alanyaspor), Manuel Keliano (Akhmat Grozny), Mario Balburdia (Boluspor).
Forwards: Zito Luvumbo (Cagliari), Manuel Benson (Swansea City), Milson (Crvena Zvezda), Chico Banza (Zamalek), Gelson Dala (Al Wakrah), Randy Nteka (Rayo Vallecano), Ary Papel (Al Akhdar), Mabululu (Al Ahli Tripoli), Mbala Nzola (Pisa), Zine (AEK Athens).
Zimbabwe AFCON 2025 squad
Goalkeepers: Washington Arubi (Marumo Gallants), Elvis Chipezeze (Magesi), Martin Mapisa (MWOS FC).
Defenders: Godknows Murwira (Scottland), Emmanuel Jalai (Dynamos FC), Sean Fusire (Sheffield Wednesday), Munashe Garananga (FC Copenhagen), Gerald Takwara (Al Ittihad Misurata), Isheanesu Mauchi (Simba Bhora), Brendon Galloway (Plymouth Argyle), Teenage Hadebe (FC Cincinnati), Alec Mudimu (Flint Town United), Divine Lunga (Mamelodi Sundowns).
Midfielders: Marvelous Nakamba (Luton Town), Jonah Fabisch (Erzgebirg Aue), Andy Rinomhota (Reading), Prosper Padera (SJK Seinajoki), Tawanda Chirewa (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Knowledge Musona (Scottland)
Forwards: Bill Antonio (KV Mechelen), Ishmael Wadi (CAPS United), Tawanda Maswanhise (Motherwell), Daniel Msendami (Marumo Gallants), Prince Dube (Young Africans), Washington Navaya (TelOne FC), Macauley Bonne (Maldon & Tiptree), Junior Zindoga (TS Galaxy), Tadiwanashe Chakuchichi (Scottland)
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 vs Zimbabwe (Marrakech, 12:30)
- Group B: Egypt vs South Africa (Agadir, 15:00)
- Group A: Zambia vs Comoros (Casablanca, 17:30)
- Group A: Morocco vs Mali (Rabat, 20:00)
Saturday, December 27 2025
- Group D: Benin vs Botswana (Rabat, 12:30)
- Group D: Senegal vs DR Congo (Tangier, 15:00)
- Group C: Uganda vs Tanzania (Rabat 3, 17:30)
- Group C: Nigeria vs Tunisia (Fes, 20:00)
Sunday, December 28 2025
- Group F: Gabon vs Mozambique (Agadir, 12:30)
- Group E: Equatorial Guinea vs Sudan (Casablanca, 15:00)
- Group E: Algeria vs Burkina Faso (Rabat, 17:30)
- Group F: Ivory Coast vs Cameroon, (Marrakech, 20:00)
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 vs Tunisia (Rabat, 16:00)
- Group C: Uganda vs Nigeria (Fes, 16:00)
- 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)
