Angola and Zimbabwe meet in historic AFCON Boxing Day clash
The Africa Cup of Nations is set for a milestone as Angola and Zimbabwe face off in the tournament’s first-ever Boxing Day fixture. Both teams are under pressure after opening-day defeats in Group B, with the stakes high for progression. The match also rekindles a longstanding Southern African rivalry, with each side having eight wins in their 19 previous encounters. The encounter highlights the unique scheduling and competitive history of this year’s AFCON.
Match highlights
- The 2025 AFCON is the first edition to begin in December since the competition’s founding in 1957.
- Angola suffered a 2–1 defeat to South Africa in their opening match, extending their winless run in AFCON openers to nine out of ten.
- Zimbabwe lost their first match to Egypt, marking their third consecutive opening-game defeat at the tournament.
- Angola and Zimbabwe have faced each other 19 times, each winning eight matches and drawing three.
- Zimbabwe have never won either of their first two AFCON group games, with all three of their tournament victories coming in their final group matches.
