In the inaugural 2025 AFCON qualifier, Tanzania and Ethiopia settle to a draw

In their first 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, Tanzania and Ethiopia could only muster a point after ending in a 0-0 stalemate on Wednesday night at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium.

In the first five minutes of the encounter, neither team displayed any sort of forward momentum as the game got off to a slow start in Dar es Salaam. Early possession splits frequently resulted in violent ball-related altercations in the middle of the park.

Tanzania had the first few opportunities to score, but Seid Habtamu Aregawi was untroubled. On the opposing end of the field, Walyas found pockets of space in large sections of the field, but the Taifa Stars frequently met them with fierce defense.

Both Walyas and the Taifa Stars found it difficult to move the ball toward the 18-yard zones of the field as the halftime siren drew near. The game finished 0-0 at halftime because all of the final minute’s goal attempts were missed.

Tanzania called up Pascal Msindo from the bench to try to alter the game’s complexion, while Ethiopia brought Binyam Fikre and Adis Giday into the fold at the beginning of the second half.

Up until the 50th minute, Tanzania had no shots on goal, but they started to see more of the ball and pressed forward whenever they could. Ethiopia, nevertheless, held firm in rebuffing the home team’s offensive onslaught.

Ethiopia frequently found themselves down as the 75th minute drew near due to the Taifa Stars’ second-half substitutions, which quickened the tempo of the game.

During the last moments of the match, the home team had a few opportunities to break the deadlock but were unable to get their shots in. The game at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium finished in a tense 0-0 draw, with the referee holding the whistle to his mouth.

Tanzania: 0%

Ethiopia: 0%

Tanzania: Morishi, Balua (Shentembo 59′), Salum, Kibabage (Msindo 46′), Job, Hamad, Mohamed, Mkami (Yahya 59′), Salim, Mwaikenda, Job, Hamad, Mohamed, Mzize

Ethiopia: Gezahgen Tekle (Ayten 91′), Belay (Fikru 46′), Markneh (Hamid 75′), Habtamu Aregawi, Kassaye Moges, Belay, Zegeye, Bekele, Waza, Panom, Gugusa (Gebru 46′),