Mozambique ended a 40-year wait for their first-ever win at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) by edging out Gabon 3-2 in Agadir, Morocco on Sunday, December 28th, 2025.
Faisal Bangal, Geny Catamo and Diogo Calila scored for the Mambas to earn the southern African side a deserved victory
It is their first win at the continental finals since their debut in 1986 in what was their 17th game.
Previously, the Mambas had gone 16 games without a single victory at the tournaments but they took the lead against Gabon in the 37th minute when Faisal Bangal headed in from Geny Catamo’s delivery.
Mozambique doubled their lead from the penalty spot awarded after 42-year-old winger Dominguês had his shirt pulled back by Bruno Ecuélé-Manga for Catamo who plays as a wing-back for Portuguese Primeira Liga club Sporting CP then coolly slotted the penalty home.
Diogo Calila who plays as a right-back for Primeira Liga club Santa Clara completed the score by heading home a cross from Witi Quembo.
French Ligue 1 side Olympic Marseille striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alex Moucketou-Moussounda scored for Gabon as the West African country suffered but back-to-back defeats to mean their hopes of reaching the last 16 are hanging by a thread with a match against defending champions Ivory Coast to come on Wednesday.
The final whistle confirmed a landmark achievement for Mozambique, ending nearly four decades of waiting for a win at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The result gives Chiquinho Conde’s side a great chance of reaching the knockout stage for the first time.
The Mambas have never progressed past the group stage in five previous attempts and after their first win at the finals, having drawn five and lost 10 of 15 previous matches.
“I am very proud to represent Mozambique and to have made my contribution to Mozambique’s first-ever victory at the Africa Cup of Nations. We are proud of this win.
I hope this victory will cause us to keep working and bring more wins to our country. I ask the people to continue supporting us. We can go far, and our mindset is to keep pushing on in this tournament,” said Geny Catamo – the game’s TotalEnergies Afcon Men of the Match.
