Ten-man Mali overcame Tunisia in a dramatic penalty shootout to advance to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025. The match, held on a rain-soaked night in Casablanca, was a physical battle that saw Mali reduced to ten men in the first half. Despite the disadvantage, Mali held on, forcing a 1-1 draw after extra time and ultimately winning 3-2 on penalties.
The game began intensely, with South African referee Abongile Tom issuing four yellow cards in the first 25 minutes. The turning point came in the 26th minute when Mali's Woyo Coulibaly was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Hannibal Mejbri. This marked the fourth time in the last three AFCON tournaments that a Malian player had been sent off, the most of any nation.
Despite being a man down, Mali defended resolutely, frustrating the Tunisian attack. Tunisia controlled possession but struggled to create clear-cut chances. The introduction of Dorgeles Nene injected some dynamism into Mali's attack, as he fired a shot over the bar on a counter-attack. Tunisia finally broke the deadlock in the 88th minute when substitute Firas Chaouat headed home a cross from Elias Saad.
With just minutes remaining, Mali were awarded a penalty in stoppage time for a handball by Yassine Meriah. Lassine Sinayoko stepped up and calmly converted the penalty, sending the game into extra time. Neither side could find a winner in the additional 30 minutes, leading to a penalty shootout.
In the shootout, Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra proved to be the hero, saving two penalties. Despite Yves Bissouma missing Mali's first penalty, Diarra's heroics and El Bilal Toure's decisive spot-kick secured the victory for Mali. Diarra was named TotalEnergies Man of the Match for his outstanding performance.
Mali will now face Senegal in the quarter-finals. After the match, Diarra acknowledged the difficulty his team faced, especially after the red card, but praised the team's resilience and the coach's guidance. He emphasized the players' determination to qualify and his personal focus during the penalty shootout. Tunisia, who have only failed to reach the last eight in two of the last six editions, will be disappointed with the loss, after Chaouat's late goal seemed to have sealed their place in the quarter-finals.
