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Rabat – Mali defeated Tunisia on penalties to reach the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations, despite playing nearly the entire match with 10 men.
The round of 16 match ended 1-1 in regular time, with Mali winning 3-2 in the shootout. The match was held at Stade Mohammed V and marked one of the strangest knockout games of the tournament so far.
The first AFCON quarterfinal is set:
🇸🇳 Senegal vs. Mali 🇲🇱 pic.twitter.com/1kGjmmFpLI
— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 3, 2026
Mali’s troubles began early. In the 26th minute, Woyo Coulibaly was sent off with a red card, forcing the team to play with 10 men for over 90 minutes. Despite the setback, Mali stayed compact and fought hard, but Tunisia controlled most of the ball, finishing with 72% possession
Tunisia took the lead in the 88th minute through Firas Chaouat, who headed in a cross from Elias Saad. But Mali responded quickly. In added time, Yassine Meriah conceded a penalty with a handball, and Lassine Sinayoko converted from the spot in the 90+6 minute to level the score.
The match went to penalties, where both teams struggled. Mali missed two of their first three attempts, while Tunisia failed to convert three of theirs. El Bilal Touré scored the decisive penalty to send Mali through.
Statistically, Tunisia created the highest expected goals (xG), showing they produced more dangerous chances overall. Yet despite their dominance, they failed to put the game away. The match felt chaotic, with missed opportunities and nervous moments on both sides, especially in the closing minutes.
With this hard-fought win, Mali advance to the quarterfinals and will face Senegal in Tangier on January 9. The team will need to regroup and recover after a draining match, but their resilience and fighting spirit give them hope heading into the next round.
