Mali produced a remarkable comeback after spending more than 100 minutes a man down, defeating Tunisia 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in Casablanca on Saturday. The victory sets up a quarterfinal clash against Senegal on Friday.
The match was tense and ill-tempered, with the drama peaking in the final moments.
Tunisia’s substitute Firas Chaouat appeared to have sealed the game in the 88th minute, only for Yassine Sinayoko to level from the penalty spot in the 96th minute after Yassine Meriah’s handball.
Despite losing Woyo Coulibaly to a red card in the 26th minute, Mali frustrated Tunisia throughout extra time. The Eagles’ goalkeeper, Djigui Diarra, became the hero of the shootout, saving efforts from Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane and Elias Achouri to send Mali through.
Senegal had earlier secured a 3-1 win over Sudan in Tanger, setting up the highly anticipated quarterfinal, while Tunisia will return home left to ponder how they failed to capitalize on their numerical advantage for more than an hour and a half.
The sending-off of Coulibaly in the first half shaped the match. Tunisia controlled possession, often exceeding 70%, but struggled to break down Mali’s stubborn defence.
Even with Dylan Bronn injured in the 12th minute, Tunisia created limited clear-cut chances, with Ismaël Gharbi missing the first-half opportunity.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Mali’s disciplined defence keeping the North Africans at bay. Hannibal Mejbri’s frustration was evident; he was booked for simulation in the 60th minute and saw his 80th-minute attempt saved by Diarra.
Tunisia finally seemed to break through in the 88th minute when Chaouat converted Elias Saad’s cross, but Mali responded instantly when Meriah’s handball allowed Sinayoko to equalize from the spot, forcing extra time.
Extra time brought further tension, including a disallowed Chaouat goal for offside. When penalties arrived, Mali’s composure contrasted sharply with Tunisia’s struggles.
Yves Bissouma fired over his effort, while Ali Al-Abdi did the same for Tunisia. Sinayoko, Gaoussou Diakhite, and El Bilal Toure converted for Mali, with Diarra saving two crucial penalties to secure the historic win for the Eagles, who had yet to record a victory in this edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.
