The Eagles fight back with a stoppage-time penalty after a late red card, before clinching a dramatic 3-2 shootout victory.
Mali produced a performance of extraordinary resilience on Saturday, defeating Tunisia 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to secure a dramatic passage into the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals. The match, played in Casablanca, saw the Eagles play for over 90 minutes with ten men.
The encounter at Stade Mohamed V was tense from the outset. The first half alone produced five yellow cards and a game-altering moment in the 26th minute: Mali’s Woyo Coulibaly was shown a straight red for a dangerous challenge, marking the second straight match a Malian player was dismissed.
Despite being a man down, Mali, who finished second in Group A, defended doggedly under coach Tom Saintfiet. They appeared destined for a heartbreaking defeat when Tunisia’s Firas Chaouat broke the deadlock with an 88th-minute header.
Yet, the drama was just beginning. Deep into added time, Mali was awarded a penalty. Lassine Sinayoko held his nerve, converting from the spot to equalize and send the match to extra time—his third goal of the tournament.
The additional 30 minutes yielded no further goals, though Mali finished with nine men on the field after Dorgeles Nene picked up his second yellow card of the competition.
In the ensuing shootout, misses from Mali's Yves Bissouma and Nene were offset by three crucial failures from Tunisia's Ali Abdi, Mohamed Achouri, and Mohamed Ben Romdhane. The decisive moment fell to El Bilal Touré, who calmly slotted home the winning penalty to spark wild celebrations.
The victory, sealed against all odds, sets up a tantalizing West African showdown in the last eight, where Mali will face powerhouse Senegal.