- Djigui Diarra saves two penalties as Mali stun Tunisia to book quarterfinal spot.
- Mali were reduced to 10-men in the 26th minute but conjured a win.
- Mali will now face Senegal in the last 8.
In a match defined by grit, drama and late-night heroics, Mali secured a historic place in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 quarterfinals, defeating Tunisia 3-2 on post-match penalties following a 1–1 draw after extra time at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca.
Goalkeeper Djigui Diarra was the undisputed star of the night, saving two Tunisian post-match spotkicks to complete a remarkable comeback for a Mali side that played over 90 minutes with only ten men.
The match began with a shock for the Malian side in the 26th minute when defender Woyo Coulibaly was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Hannibal Mejbri.
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Facing a numerical disadvantage for the majority of the match, Mali retreated into a compact defensive block, frustrating a Tunisian side that dominated majority of the possession.
Tunisia struggled to break the deadlock until the 88th minute. Just as it seemed the match would head into extra time with the deadlock intact,substitute Firas Chaouat rose highest to meet an Elias Saad cross with a header into the bottom corner.
That moment looked to have won the game for Tunisia but there was still time for a late twist.
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Late drama as Mali stun Tunisia
With the clock ticking toward the 96th minute, the game took a final, dramatic turn. A VAR review confirmed a handball by Tunisia’s Yassine Meriah inside the box, handing Mali a lifeline.
Lassine Sinayoko stepped up under immense pressure and slotted the penalty past Aymen Dahmen to force the match into extra time and eventually post-match spot kicks.
After a grueling 120 minutes of play, the shootout began with Yassine Meriah stepping up to calmly slot home the opener for Tunisia.
Then a blow came for Mali as their captain and talisman Yves Bissouma missed the very first attempt.
However, the momentum shifted quickly when Ali Abdi blazed his effort over the bar, squandering Tunisia’s early advantage with Lassine Sinayoko converting to level the scores.
Elias Saad put his inside the net to restore the one goal advantage but the pressure mounted again when Dorgeles Nene missed his chance to level the scores.
Just as Tunisia seemed poised to capitalize, Diarra took control of the match; he produced a massive save to deny Elias Achouri, followed by Gaoussou Diakité leveling the score at 2–2.
In the final decisive round, Diarra thwarted Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane with a brilliant reflex stop.
With the victory finally within reach, El Bilal Touré stepped up and coolly buried his penalty to secure a 3–2 win for the 10-man Malian side.
After their heroics against Tunisia, Mali will now face 2021 champions Senegal in the first quarterfinal of the 2025 Afcon tournament on Friday January 9 at the Grand Stade de Tanger.
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