Despite playing with ten men for the majority of the match, Mali eliminated Tunisia from AFCON 2025 via a penalty shootout after a late exchange of goals forced a 1-1 draw.
Mali secured a dramatic spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals after defeating Tunisia 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw through extra time.
The match took an early turn when Mali’s Woyo Coulibaly was shown a straight red card in the 26th minute for a reckless challenge.
Despite playing with a numerical disadvantage for over 90 minutes, the Malian side displayed immense resilience against their North African opponents.
The contest remained deadlocked until the 88th minute when Tunisia’s Firas Chaouat appeared to seal a victory with a clinical header into the bottom corner.
However, drama unfolded in stoppage time when a handball in the box gifted Mali a lifeline.
Lassine Sinayoko converted the resulting penalty with composure, neutralizing the Tunisian lead and forcing the Round of 16 encounter into a tense period of extra time.
With no further goals in the additional thirty minutes, the match moved to a decisive shootout.
Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra emerged as the hero of the night, producing vital saves to frustrate the Carthage Eagles.
Bilal Toure eventually converted the winning spot-kick, completing a remarkable comeback for the ten-man Eagles and ending Tunisia’s journey in the tournament.