- Mozambique end 16-match AFCON winless run with a historic 3–2 victory over Gabon at the 2025 tournament in Morocco.
- The match was played on Sunday, December 28, at Stade Adrar in Agadir.
- The result not only ended a long-standing drought but also kept Mozambique’s knockout-stage hopes alive.
Mozambique finally have an Africa Cup of Nations victory to call their own, and it came in dramatic fashion.
After 16 previous attempts without a single win at the continental showpiece, the Mambas rewrote their AFCON history books with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Gabon in Group F at the Stade Adrar in Agadir on Sunday evening.
The result not only ended a long-standing drought but also kept Mozambique’s knockout hopes alive while confirming Gabon’s early exit from the tournament.
The backdrop to the contest underlined just how high the stakes were. Both sides came into Matchday Two winless, having lost their openers by identical 1-0 margins — Gabon falling narrowly to Cameroon and Mozambique edged out by defending champions Ivory Coast.
With Ivory Coast and Cameroon already sitting pretty on three points apiece, this fixture effectively became a survival duel. Lose, and the tournament would all but be over.
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Mozambique end 16-match AFCON winless run
Early proceedings reflected the tension. Gabon enjoyed more of the ball in the opening exchanges, probing patiently through midfield, while Mozambique remained compact and disciplined, clearly content to absorb pressure and strike on the counter.
For much of the first half hour, neither side seriously tested the opposition goalkeepers, with the final pass often letting them down.
That changed in the 37th minute. Mozambique struck first through Faizal Bangal, who rose highest in the box to nod home a well-directed header from close range.
The goal visibly lifted the Mambas and unsettled Gabon, who began to look rushed in possession. Five minutes later, Mozambique doubled their advantage from the penalty spot.
Geny Catamo converted confidently after Bruno Ecuele Manga was booked for a clumsy challenge inside the area, leaving Gabon staring at elimination before the interval.
Just when it seemed the Panthers were on the ropes, their captain delivered. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang pulled one back at the stroke of half-time, timing his run perfectly to finish and breathe life into Gabon’s campaign heading into the break.
Any hopes of a sustained Gabon comeback, however, were dented early in the second half. In the 52nd minute, Diogo Calila restored Mozambique’s two-goal cushion, scoring his first-ever goal for the national side to make it 3-1 and reassert the Mambas’ control of the contest.
Gabon refused to fold. Pushing men forward, they turned the final stages into a siege.
Hernani Siluane was forced into a stunning double save before Alex Moucketou-Moussounda finally beat him in the 76th minute to reduce the deficit to 3-2.
What followed was a frantic finale, with seven minutes of stoppage time adding to the drama. Gabon even thought they had equalised late on, only for the offside flag to cut short their celebrations.
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When the final whistle blew, it was Mozambique celebrating a landmark moment.
Their first-ever AFCON win not only ended years of frustration but also ensured they head into the final group game with belief and purpose.
For Gabon, led by a valiant Aubameyang, it was a painful confirmation that their AFCON 2025 journey had come to an end far earlier than hoped.
