Patson Daka escaped serious injury after a frightening celebration following Zambia’s dramatic Africa Cup of Nations opener against Mali, with the Leicester City forward emerging unscathed despite a heavy fall
The 27-year-old striker was the hero for Zambia in the 92nd minute, scoring a stoppage-time equaliser to earn a point in a pulsating Group stage encounter at the 67,000-capacity Stade Mohamed V in Morocco.
In the heat of the moment, Daka attempted an acrobatic backflip toward the corner flag to celebrate his goal. However, he mistimed the maneuver and landed awkwardly on his neck and shoulder, instantly raising concern from players and staff on both benches.
Medical personnel were quickly on the scene, and several teammates surrounded Daka, but he was able to stand and continue playing, allowing Zambia to secure a valuable draw. Early fears of serious injury eased as he showed no visible after-effects and required no immediate treatment.
The match itself swung dramatically in momentum. Mali, nicknamed Les Aigles, nearly seized control early when El Bilal Touré earned a first-half penalty, only for Zambia goalkeeper Willard Mwanza to make a vital save. Touré later opened the scoring in the 61st minute, putting Mali ahead before Daka’s last-gasp heroics rescued a point for Zambia.
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