Casablanca, Morocco, Jan. 3, 2026 (Naija247news) — Mali rode their luck to a dramatic 3-2 penalty shootout victory over Tunisia to reach the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Casablanca.
The decisive moment came when El Bilal Toure calmly converted the final spot-kick after Tunisia’s Ali Abdi blazed over the bar and Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra saved the fourth and fifth penalties from Elias Achouri and Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane.
The match, which produced little action for most of the 90 minutes, turned into a tense thriller in stoppage time and extra time. Mali had been a man down for more than 90 minutes after Woyo Coulibaly was shown a straight red card in the 26th minute for a dangerous studs-up challenge on Hannibal Mejbri. Despite being reduced to ten men, the West Africans defended resolutely and forced a stoppage-time penalty when Tunisia’s Yassine Meriah handled the ball in the box.
Lassine Sinayoko stepped up and converted the penalty, sending the game into extra time. Tunisia briefly thought they had won it in the 106th minute when Firas Chaouat tapped in a cross from Abdi, but the effort was correctly ruled out for offside.
Dramatic Penalty Shootout
The shootout, played under heavy rain, was a rollercoaster of tension. Mali fell behind 2-1 after the first three rounds, but Diarra’s two crucial saves and Toure’s composed finish turned the tide in Mali’s favour. The goalkeeper emerged as the hero, diving low to deny Ben Romdhane’s final attempt, while Toure celebrated by ripping off his shirt amid jubilant scenes on the Casablanca pitch.
Mali’s Discipline and Resilience
Mali’s path to the quarter-finals has been unusual; they reached the last eight without recording a win in regulation time, drawing all three group-stage matches in Group A. However, despite their indiscretions — receiving red cards in two of their past three matches — the Eagles displayed tactical resilience and mental strength under pressure, which may serve them well against their next opponent.
Tunisia’s Missed Opportunity
For Tunisia, the defeat will sting, especially after dominating possession but struggling to break down a compact Mali defence. Coach Sami Trabelsi will need to reflect on his side’s failure to capitalise on their numerical advantage and their inability to convert chances during regulation and extra time. The Carthage Eagles, winners of the 2004 Afcon, have now exited the tournament at the round of 16 stage for only the second time since 2004.
Next Up: Senegal Await
Mali will now travel to Tangier to face 2021 champions Senegal in the quarter-finals on Friday at 16:00 GMT. Senegal, who dispatched Sudan earlier, have already scored ten goals in the tournament and will pose a stern test for the West Africans, who will need to improve their discipline and sharpen their attack.
The win marks a remarkable story of resilience for Mali, demonstrating that tenacity and nerve can triumph over adversity, even in the face of numerical disadvantage and limited tournament form.
Emman Tochi ✔
Emma Tochi is Naija247news Media Northern Bureau Chief, he's based in FCT Abuja. He overseas the northern operations of this business media
View Archive →
