The 2025 AFCON, which kicked off on Sunday, is the 35th edition of the tournament since its inception. Throughout the years, it has produced moments that will live long in the hearts of millions of supporters across Africa. From unforgettable victories that ignited scenes of jubilation to painful losses that will haunt players and fans alike.
A few games into the competition being hosted in Morocco and it has already served up acrobatic finishes, late goals as well as comeback wins. It has once again captured the emotion, drama, and unpredictability that define African football.
In this article, we’ll be looking back at five of the greatest AFCON moments of the last 20 years.
1) Zambia’s Emotional Victory (2012)
It’s 1993, and the Zambian national team is preparing for a clash in the World Cup qualifiers against Senegal. Due to the limited range and technical constraints of the Zambian Air Force aircraft being used at the time, plans were made for the aircraft as the plane couldn’t make a straight flight to Dakar due to its long distance. And because of this, plans were made to stop at various intervals to refuel. One of those scheduled stops was Libreville, Gabon, where the plane landed to take on fuel.
Shortly after taking off from Libreville, one engine failed. The pilot shut down the wrong engine, causing the aircraft to lose power and crash into the Atlantic Ocean, where 30 people died, including 18 players, the coaching staff and the crew.
This event, remains one of the darkest and most emotional moments in African football history.
Despite the heartbreak, Zambia rebuilt remarkably fast, giving us one of the greatest AFCON moments. A year later, they reached the 1994 AFCON final, and in 2012, Zambia won the Africa Cup of Nations, defeating a star-studded Cote d’Ivoire team – a victory many saw as a powerful tribute to the fallen team, especially as the final was held in Gabon, near the crash site.
2) Egypt’s Unprecedented “Three-Peat” (2006-2010)
At the peak of African football, the Pharaohs of Egypt dominated for almost a decade and at times, seemed unplayable. They are the first and only team to achieve this feat. A unique record of winning three consecutive AFCON titles in 2006, 2008, and 2010.
This era of dominance under head coach Hassan Shehata showcased a period of tactical brilliance, combined with the individual brilliance of Mohamed Aboutrika, Ahmed Hassan, legendary goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary as well as many others. To date, their achievement remains unmatched in the tournament’s history.
3) Mali’s Incredible Comeback (2010)
In the opening match of the 2010 tournament, Mali pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in AFCON history. After Angola’s striker Flavio Amado scored twice and the team converted two penalties within eight minutes, Angola held a commanding 4-goal lead. With just 11 minutes remaining, it seemed all hope was lost for the Malians.
Yet, in a stunning turn of events, Mali fought back with fierce determination, scoring multiple goals in the final minutes to level the match and snatch a remarkable draw, leaving fans across the continent stunned.
A goal from Frederic Kanoute, two from former Barcelona defender Seydou Keita, and a last-minute equaliser from Mustapha Yatabare sealed the comeback, making it one of the greatest AFCON moments.
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4) Cameroon’s Controversial 2000 Afcon Triumph
This is where the usefulness of VAR comes into play. Cameroon won the 2000 Afcon when they shouldn’t have. The final between Nigeria and Cameroon at the National Stadium in Lagos ended in a controversial penalty shootout loss for the hosts when Victor Ikpeba’s penalty was judged not have crossed the line, a similar case to Frank Lampard’s goal in the 2010 World Cup against Germany.
After regular time ended 2-2, the game went straight into penalties. The hosts, who had been trailing 2-0 at halftime, staged a remarkable comeback after the break, with Raphael Chukwu and Jay-Jay Okocha scoring to level the match.
During the penalty shootout, with the score at 2-2, Victor Ikpeba’s penalty struck the underside of the crossbar and clearly crossed the line, but the linesman controversially did not award it as a goal.
The Super Eagles went on to lose the shootout 4-3, ending their campaign in dramatic fashion.
5) Sadio Mane Ends Senegal’s Long Wait to Be Crowned Champions (2021)
After being runners-up on two occasions, Senegal finally won their first-ever AFCON title in 2021, with star man Sadio Mane scoring the decisive penalty in the shootout against Egypt.
Mane had an early penalty saved in the seventh minute, following some advice from his then-teammate, Mohamed Salah, too Egyptian goalkeeper Abou Gabal. Despite several opportunities for Senegal during regular time, the match remained goalless at 90 minutes, thanks to the excellence of Gabal.
The shootout proved decisive. The turning point came when former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved the fourth penalty from Mohanad Lasheen, keeping the score at 3-2. Sadio Mane then stepped up and powerfully slotted his penalty into the net, securing a dramatic victory for Senegal, and another one of the greatest AFCON moments.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / NurPhoto
Recording Date: 07.02.2022
