Mali overcame Tunisia on penalties after playing a 1-1 draw following extra time with 10 men in Saturday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 tie in Casablanca, Afrosport reports.
The Eagles finished second in Group A, behind hosts Morocco, drawing all their matches, while the Carthage Eagles also finished second in Group C, behind Nigeria.
The first half at Stade Mohamed V was a feisty one, with five cards being produced, including a yellow card to Mali midfielder Mahamadou Doumbia, who will now be suspended for the next match, while Woyo Coulibaly was given a straight red in the 26th for a dangerous foul, making it the second consecutive game a Mali player was sent off after Amadou Haidara’s dismisal against Comoros.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Tom Saintfiet’s side were able to keep Tunisia at bay until the 88th minute when Firas Chaouat headed in Elias Saad’s cross. The 2004 AFCON champions were however unable to hold on to their lead as Mali were awarded a penalty deep in added time, which was converted by Lassine Sinayoko for his third goal of the tournament.
Nothing could separate the two teams in extra time, though Dorgeles Nene was handed his second yellow card of the competition and will miss the next game.
FULL-TIME! 🇲🇱🇹🇳
Mali with a vital win over Tunisia. #TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 | @tecnomobile pic.twitter.com/nMMaL3toPw
— TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 (@CAF_Online) January 3, 2026
Off it went to penalties, and though Yves Bissouma and Nene missed Mali’s first and third spot kicks respectively, misses from Tunisia’s Ali Abdi, Mohamed Achouri, and Mohamed Ben Romdhane played into Mali’s hands, with Atalanta loanee El Bilal Toure converting the fifth and final penalty to triumph 3-2.
Mali will now face West African rivals Senegal in the quarter-finals.
