EL BILAL TOURE scored the winning spot-kick as 10-man Mali beat Tunisia 3-2 on penalties to reach the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals after their last-16 tie had finished 1-1 at the end of extra time.
It looked as if Tunisia had got the job done against a Mali side forced to play most of the game a man down when substitute Firas Chaouat headed the Carthage Eagles in front in the 88th minute.
Mali had defender Woyo Coulibaly sent off in the 26th minute at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca, but earned a reprieve when they were awarded a stoppage-time penalty.
Lassine Sinayoko converted from the spot to take the tie to extra time and eventually on to the decisive shoot-out.
Captain Yves Bissouma, the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, blazed Mali’s first kick over the bar, but Ali Abdi then missed for Tunisia before Eagles goalkeeper Djigui Diarra saved two further penalties and Toure won it.
Tom Saintfiet’s Mali advanced to a quarter-final next Friday in Tangiers against West African neighbours Senegal, after the 2022 champions came from behind to beat Sudan 3-1 earlier.
Mali have never won the Cup of Nations and their prospects here were not helped when right-back Coulibaly, currently based in Italy’s Serie A with Sassuolo, was shown a straight red card for raking his studs down the back of Hannibal Mejbri’s calf.
Yet the game remained goalless and extra time was looming when Tunisia finally made their numerical superiority count as Elias Saad flighted a ball into the box and Club Africain striker Chaouat stole a march on his marker to head home.
That goal was celebrated by the majority of the 41,982 crowd in Morocco’s largest city, with many locals choosing to give their backing to their fellow North Africans.
And yet a tie that appeared to be over took a dramatic twist in injury time, with South African referee Abongile Tom pointing to the spot when the ball struck the arm of Tunisia defender Yassine Meriah inside the area.
Auxerre forward Sinayoko kept his cool through a long delay as the official consulted with the VAR team before converting the penalty with the match in the 96th minute.
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Tunisia toiled to create chances in extra time as heavy rain fell — the conditions forcing many spectators in the largely uncovered stadium to abandon their seats.
Chaouat had the ball in the net again at the start of the second period of extra time, but was this time denied by the offside flag.
A penalty shoot-out appeared inevitable and so it transpired, with Bissouma and Nene Dorgeles failing from the spot for Mali.
However, Abdi’s miss and Diarra’s saves from Elias Achouri and Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane allowed Mali to win it when Toure — who had failed to score a penalty in the same stadium against Zambia in the group stage — stepped up to score.
Senegal 3-1 Sudan
Teenager Ibrahim Mbaye scored four minutes after coming off the bench to seal a 3-1 victory for Senegal over Sudan in Tangiers in the first Africa Cup of Nations last-16 match.
The 17-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward previously represented France at age-grade level before switching his international allegiance to Senegal, where his father was born.
Senegal's Ibrahim Mbaye celebrates after scoring his side's third goal. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Rattled by an early Aamir Abdallah goal for Sudan, former champions Senegal recovered to lead 2-1 at half-time through a Pape Gueye brace. Mbaye put the outcome beyond doubt after 77 minutes.
It was a predicable result as Senegal are 99 places higher in the world rankings than Sudan, who were representing a country ravaged by civil war since April 2023.
“We played against a very disciplined Sudan team who showed that they got this far on merit. We needed to dig deep to come from a goal down to win,” said Senegal coach Pape Thiaw.
“Now we will focus on the next match and correct some of the mistakes we noted and pursue our goals with intensity.”
Ghana-born Sudan coach Kwesi Appiah said: “I am disappointed with the result, but proud of the effort of my players.
“We played against a very experienced Senegal team, but showed our quality. Despite the result, I am sure the Sudanese people know that we came to this competition and proudly represented them.”
Sudan rocked Senegal by taking a sixth-minute lead through Abdallah, a semi-professional who plays for an Australian second-tier club in Melbourne.
It was a superb goal as the Sudan striker took possession just inside the area and curled the ball over former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and into the net.
Sudan had qualified for the knockout stage as one of the best four third-placed nations despite their players failing to score a single goal in three group matches, although an own goal brought victory over Equatorial Guinea.
A brave save from Sudan goalkeeper Monged Abuzaid on 29 minutes foiled Nicolas Jackson, but Senegal equalised almost immediately.
Former African player of the year Sadio Mane set up Gueye, who equalised with a low shot just inside the right post.
Senegal attacked continuously while Sudan had little to offer going forward in a match watched by Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe from South Africa.
The Mauritanian referee pointed to the penalty spot after Abuzaid fouled Ismaila Sarr. However, the decision was reversed after a long VAR review revealed a Senegalese player was offside in the build-up.
Crystal Palace attacker Sarr then scored only to be ruled offside in another let-off for the Sudanese.
Abuzaid was constantly in action and did well to push away a Gueye shot with an outstretched right hand as half-time approached.
There was still time for Gueye to score again, however, and give Senegal a half-time lead in the Mediterranean city.
The Villarreal midfielder side-footed home a cross three minutes into added time.
Senegal introduced Mbaye midway through the second half as they sought the insurance of a third goal. He made an immediate impact, latching on to a long pass and beating Abuzaid at his near post.
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Mali beat Tunisia on penalties to set up AFCON quarter-final against Senegal
LAST UPDATE | 3 Jan
Mali 1-1 Tunisia
Mali win 3-2 on penalties
EL BILAL TOURE scored the winning spot-kick as 10-man Mali beat Tunisia 3-2 on penalties to reach the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals after their last-16 tie had finished 1-1 at the end of extra time.
It looked as if Tunisia had got the job done against a Mali side forced to play most of the game a man down when substitute Firas Chaouat headed the Carthage Eagles in front in the 88th minute.
Mali had defender Woyo Coulibaly sent off in the 26th minute at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca, but earned a reprieve when they were awarded a stoppage-time penalty.
Lassine Sinayoko converted from the spot to take the tie to extra time and eventually on to the decisive shoot-out.
Captain Yves Bissouma, the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, blazed Mali’s first kick over the bar, but Ali Abdi then missed for Tunisia before Eagles goalkeeper Djigui Diarra saved two further penalties and Toure won it.
Tom Saintfiet’s Mali advanced to a quarter-final next Friday in Tangiers against West African neighbours Senegal, after the 2022 champions came from behind to beat Sudan 3-1 earlier.
Mali have never won the Cup of Nations and their prospects here were not helped when right-back Coulibaly, currently based in Italy’s Serie A with Sassuolo, was shown a straight red card for raking his studs down the back of Hannibal Mejbri’s calf.
Yet the game remained goalless and extra time was looming when Tunisia finally made their numerical superiority count as Elias Saad flighted a ball into the box and Club Africain striker Chaouat stole a march on his marker to head home.
That goal was celebrated by the majority of the 41,982 crowd in Morocco’s largest city, with many locals choosing to give their backing to their fellow North Africans.
And yet a tie that appeared to be over took a dramatic twist in injury time, with South African referee Abongile Tom pointing to the spot when the ball struck the arm of Tunisia defender Yassine Meriah inside the area.
Auxerre forward Sinayoko kept his cool through a long delay as the official consulted with the VAR team before converting the penalty with the match in the 96th minute.
Tunisia toiled to create chances in extra time as heavy rain fell — the conditions forcing many spectators in the largely uncovered stadium to abandon their seats.
Chaouat had the ball in the net again at the start of the second period of extra time, but was this time denied by the offside flag.
A penalty shoot-out appeared inevitable and so it transpired, with Bissouma and Nene Dorgeles failing from the spot for Mali.
However, Abdi’s miss and Diarra’s saves from Elias Achouri and Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane allowed Mali to win it when Toure — who had failed to score a penalty in the same stadium against Zambia in the group stage — stepped up to score.
Senegal 3-1 Sudan
Teenager Ibrahim Mbaye scored four minutes after coming off the bench to seal a 3-1 victory for Senegal over Sudan in Tangiers in the first Africa Cup of Nations last-16 match.
The 17-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward previously represented France at age-grade level before switching his international allegiance to Senegal, where his father was born.
Rattled by an early Aamir Abdallah goal for Sudan, former champions Senegal recovered to lead 2-1 at half-time through a Pape Gueye brace. Mbaye put the outcome beyond doubt after 77 minutes.
It was a predicable result as Senegal are 99 places higher in the world rankings than Sudan, who were representing a country ravaged by civil war since April 2023.
“We played against a very disciplined Sudan team who showed that they got this far on merit. We needed to dig deep to come from a goal down to win,” said Senegal coach Pape Thiaw.
“Now we will focus on the next match and correct some of the mistakes we noted and pursue our goals with intensity.”
Ghana-born Sudan coach Kwesi Appiah said: “I am disappointed with the result, but proud of the effort of my players.
“We played against a very experienced Senegal team, but showed our quality. Despite the result, I am sure the Sudanese people know that we came to this competition and proudly represented them.”
Sudan rocked Senegal by taking a sixth-minute lead through Abdallah, a semi-professional who plays for an Australian second-tier club in Melbourne.
It was a superb goal as the Sudan striker took possession just inside the area and curled the ball over former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and into the net.
Sudan had qualified for the knockout stage as one of the best four third-placed nations despite their players failing to score a single goal in three group matches, although an own goal brought victory over Equatorial Guinea.
A brave save from Sudan goalkeeper Monged Abuzaid on 29 minutes foiled Nicolas Jackson, but Senegal equalised almost immediately.
Former African player of the year Sadio Mane set up Gueye, who equalised with a low shot just inside the right post.
Senegal attacked continuously while Sudan had little to offer going forward in a match watched by Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe from South Africa.
The Mauritanian referee pointed to the penalty spot after Abuzaid fouled Ismaila Sarr. However, the decision was reversed after a long VAR review revealed a Senegalese player was offside in the build-up.
Crystal Palace attacker Sarr then scored only to be ruled offside in another let-off for the Sudanese.
Abuzaid was constantly in action and did well to push away a Gueye shot with an outstretched right hand as half-time approached.
There was still time for Gueye to score again, however, and give Senegal a half-time lead in the Mediterranean city.
The Villarreal midfielder side-footed home a cross three minutes into added time.
Senegal introduced Mbaye midway through the second half as they sought the insurance of a third goal. He made an immediate impact, latching on to a long pass and beating Abuzaid at his near post.
– © AFP 2026
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