Mali beat Tunisia to advance to AFCON Quarter Finals

The Les Aigles, better known as the Eagles of Mali, tonight beat the Carthage Eagles (Les Aigles de Carthage) of Tunisia on penalties to advance to the quarter finals of the ongoing 2025 AFCON competition.

The game took place at Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca ended 1-1 after 120 minutes of grueling football, with Mali eventually prevailing 3-2 on penalties.

The Eagles of Mali played the most part of the game with ten men as they had a player sent off in the 34th minute of the first half. Woyo Coulibaly received a straight red card.

The team maintained discipline and good organization and held the Tunisians until the 88th of play when they conceded a goal. Within three minutes after that they equalized through a penalty kick as the Tunisians handled the ball with their hands in the penalty box to prevent a goal.

Tunisia’s Yassine Meriah of Tunisia was the man that handled the ball. After a tense VAR review, Lassine Sinayoko of Mali stepped up in the 96th minute and coolly converted the penalty, sending the game into extra time.

The match then went into 30 minutes extra time with neither side able to break the deadlock. In the ensuing penalty kicks, Tunisia could not convert three of their kicks while Mali lost only two and netted three, with their goal keeper being the hero of the day, saving two of the shots.

Mali will face Senegal in one of the quarter final games on January 9th.