Mali Leads AFCON Group E Despite 1-1 Draw with Struggling Tunisia

The much-hyped AFCON clash between Mali and Tunisia, Group E’s two favorites, largely lived up to expectations as the teams held each other at arm’s length in a pulsating 1-1 draw.

Rabat – The much-hyped AFCON clash between Mali and Tunisia, Group E’s two favorites, largely lived up to expectations as the teams held each other at arm’s length in a pulsating 1-1 draw.

But while the result has Mali on top of the group standings, it leaves Tunisia, which has shockingly only collected 1 point from two games, with slim hopes of advancing to the knockout stages.

Mali’s Lassine Sinayoko opened the scoring for his team with a delicious, powerful left-footed shot strike in the 10th minute of the game to put the Malian Eagles in the lead. Adding to the beauty of Sinayoko’s sublime strike was the equally delightful assist by Kamory Doumbia.

For all of Mali’s sense of purpose and efforts to dominate the game, Tunisia’s elimination-throated Carthage Eagles soon responded in kind to the swagger of the Malian goal by equalizing in the 20th minute.

Indeed, the beautiful team effort that set up Hamza Rafia’s expertly taken equalizer put the Tunisian game in contention for the tournament’s best goals.

The first half ended in a tense draw, with both sides putting up staunch defenses and having an equal share of possession.

And while Mali slightly dominated the Second half in possession, the game concluded in a 1-1 draw. The result comes with different significance for the two teams.

Topping the group with 4 points, Mali is almost through to the knockout stages and will have to confirm its group standing or maintain its qualification in the largely playable final group game against Namibia.

By contrast, favorites Tunisia have so far been underwhelming and will have the uncomfortable task of searching for its maiden and qualifying win against a well-drilled South African team looking to rediscover their historical form and live up to the past continental reputation of the once-feared Bafana Bafana.

This means tomorrow’s southern African clash between Namibia and South Africa will be decisive for the last group showdown between the Carthage Eagles and the Bafana Bafana.