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Marrakech – After Morocco’s 2-0 win against Comoros during Sunday night’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) opening match, Group A action resumed today with Zambia canceling out Mali in a 1-1 draw at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca.
FULL-TIME 🇲🇱🇿🇲
Mali and Zambia share the points in a 1-1 draw! 🤝#TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 | @tecnomobile pic.twitter.com/iSlr6zf1qU
— TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 (@CAF_Online) December 22, 2025
Mali, led by Belgian manager Tom Saintfiet, lined up in a classic 4-2-3-1 shape, marked by Yves Bissouma’s absence. The Tottenham player, still recovering from an ankle procedure earlier in the season, was deemed unfit to participate in The Eagles’ opening match.
Moses Sichone’s Zambia mirrored Mali’s formation, with captain forward Fashion Sakala playing on the left, leaving Leicester City forward Patson Daka at the helm of the attack.
Saintfiet’s men got off to a strong start. The Eagles dominated possession of the ball in the first half 58% to Zambia’s 42. Through quick combinations between midfield and attacking players, Mali repeatedly broke through the Zambian defense, forcing multiple saves by goalkeeper Willard Mwanza.
The Eagles’ best chance of the first half came in the 42nd minute. After a dangerous cutback from the right side, Fenerbahce winger Dorgeles Nene was brought down in the box. A VAR review was prompted, and the decision was clear: penalty kick to Mali. However, El Bilal Toure’s low-driven effort was once more met by Mwanza’s firm glove.
The Eagles finally broke the deadlock in the 61st minute after a bizarre corner kick, with only two Zambian defenders initially present in the box, saw winger Lassine Sinayoko receive the ball under no pressure, merely a few meters away from goal. Sinayoko’s first effort was blocked, but he made no mistake on the follow-up. 1-0 to the Eagles.
With Zambia forced to take more attacking initiative, and therefore leaving more spaces behind their defense, the final 30 minutes of the match were in the form of continuous end-to-end action, with both teams squandering chances to score.
In the dying moments of the match, the Chipolopolo’s hunt for an equalizer was finally rewarded when Daka got on the end of a pinpoint in-swinger from Zambia right-back Mathews Banda. The Leicester City striker’s header blazed past Mali keeper Djigui Diarra, putting his side back level on the scoreboard.
Mali’s last-minute push for a winner didn’t lead to any concrete chances, and, at the end, referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan’s final whistle announced a 1-1 draw between the two teams.
Mali and Zambia will take home a point each from the fixture, which places them second and third, respectively, behind Morocco and ahead of Comoros in Group A standings.
Both teams will be back in action on Friday, December 26, when Mali take on hosts Morocco while the Chipolopolo will face Comoros.
