Talismanic forwards Gelson Dala and Knowledge Musona both scored as Angola and Zimbabwe each earned their first point in Group B at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Marrakech.
Dala, who netted four times at the 2023 finals, rifled Angola in front from To Carneiro's chipped delivery as part of an incisive move, but returning Zimbabwe legend Musona masterfully controlled Bill Antonio's arrowed pass to equalise with a ruthless finish during first-half added time.
Warriors goalkeeper Washington Arubi made an alert close-range save shortly after the break to prevent Jonathan Buatu from restoring his side's lead from David Carmo's knockdown.
Angola counterpart Hugo Marques also reacted excellently to tip Tawanda Chirewa's strike behind late on, followed by a vital block by Carmo to stop Prince Dube from guiding the ball over the line from the ensuing corner.
Arubi was called into action again late on, first to keep out a curling effort from Milson and then to punch away Fredy's free-kick.
Both teams play their final group-stage matches on Monday (16:00 GMT), when Zimbabwe face South Africa in Marrakech and Angola meet Egypt in Agadir.
The result between the Southern African hopefuls means the Pharaohs or Bafana Bafana will seal a place in the knockout stage if either wins their Group B showdown in Agadir on Friday (15:00 GMT) in their second games of the initial phase.
Crucial closers loom for group underdogsNew Zimbabwe coach Mario Marinica had called upon his side to show greater compactness and game management after their 2-1 defeat by Egypt in their opener on Monday, when the Warriors led at half-time but were beaten by Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah's 91st-minute winner.
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Defender Divine Lunga and prolific 35-year-old forward Musona, who returned to the fold in March after announcing his international retirement in 2022, were among Marinica's fit-again players against Angola, while winger Antonio and forward Macauley Bonne, who plays in England's eighth tier for Maldon & Tiptree, also came in.
Antonio spurned an excellent early chance by lifting a shot high over the target after closing in on goal, with Dala also finishing wastefully when well placed shortly afterwards.
Zimbabwe's injury troubles continued when Cincinnati defender Teenage Hadebe had to be replaced by Brendan Galloway, and there was a delay later in the first half while Marques received treatment and a head bandage following a clash of heads with Lunga.
Appointed in October, Angola coach Patrice Beaumelle, who won the competition as an assistant coach with both Zambia in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015, saw his side go closest as both teams pushed for a late winner, forcing Zimbabwe to scramble clear after Arubi spilled Milson's drive in the final minute.
With no winner materialising, these teams will need an upset in their final fixtures of the group stage to secure a position as one of the four best-placed teams among the six groups in Morocco.
