TEN-MAN Mali rode their luck and showed remarkable resilience to defeat Tunisia 3–2 on penalties and book a place in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), setting up a blockbuster clash with defending champions Senegal.
News Point Nigeria Sports reports that in a dramatic late match that swung wildly in the closing stages, El Bilal Touré converted the decisive penalty after Tunisia’s Ali Abdi blazed his effort over the bar, while Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra emerged the hero by saving successive spot-kicks from Elias Achouri and Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane.
The shootout drama came after a tense and often scrappy contest that sprang to life only in the final minutes. Mali, who had played more than 90 minutes with 10 men, survived immense pressure after Woyo Coulibaly was shown a straight red card early in the match for catching Hannibal Mejbri on the Achilles with his studs.
Tunisia finally broke the deadlock just two minutes from the end of normal time when Firas Chaouat nodded home a header that crept inside the right-hand post, seemingly sending the Carthage Eagles through.
But Mali were handed a lifeline deep into stoppage time after Yassine Meriah was penalised for handball inside the box. Lassine Sinayoko stepped up and calmly slotted a low penalty past Aymen Dahmen, despite the goalkeeper getting a hand to the ball, to force extra time.
Chaouat thought he had won it early in the second period of extra time with another close-range finish, but celebrations were cut short after the goal was ruled out for offside against Abdi.
With neither side able to find a winner, the match drifted into a penalty shootout that was anything but routine. Mali captain Yves Bissouma fired over the bar, while team-mate Nene Dorgeles struck the post, giving Tunisia hope—only for Diarra’s heroics to seal Mali’s progress.
Earlier in the day, Senegal showcased their championship pedigree by coming from behind to beat Sudan 3–1 in Tangier, ending the tournament’s most emotional underdog story played out against the backdrop of Sudan’s ongoing civil war.
Sudan stunned the holders inside six minutes when Aamir Abdallah curled a magnificent strike beyond the diving Edouard Mendy, briefly igniting dreams of a famous upset.
The Sudanese side continued to impress, forcing Mendy into a fine save from Mohamed Eisa, but Senegal gradually asserted control, driven on by the relentless drumming of their supporters.
After Nicolas Jackson was denied at close range, midfielder Pape Gueye equalised with a composed finish from 18 yards. The Villarreal man struck again in first-half injury time, side-footing high past Monged Elneel to give Senegal a 2–1 lead at the break.
Mendy was again called into action early in the second half to deny Sheddy Barglan, but Senegal never truly looked like relinquishing control.
Teenage forward Ibrahim Mbaye, of Paris Saint-Germain, sealed the win in the 77th minute with a powerful breakaway finish, adding gloss to the scoreline and underlining Senegal’s growing dominance.
The results set up a compelling quarter-final showdown between Mali and Senegal in Tangier on Friday (16:00 GMT).
Both teams entered the knockout stages with mixed group-stage form Mali progressed after drawing all three matches in Group A, while Tunisia managed just one win in Group C. Senegal, meanwhile, are now gathering momentum after overcoming early scares.
With Mali’s grit and penalty nerve set against Senegal’s attacking depth and championship experience, Friday’s encounter promises to be one of the standout fixtures of the 2025 AFCON.