Mali Overcome Tunisia in Penalty Shootout to Advance in Africa Cup of Nations
Mali defeated Tunisia 1-1 (3-2 on penalties) in the Africa Cup of Nations last-16 match held on 3 January 2026 at Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca. Despite being reduced to 10 men in the 26th minute after Woyo Coulibaly was sent off for a tackle on Hannibal Mejbri, Mali showed resilience, with goalkeeper Djigui Diarra receiving high praise for his performance.
Tunisia took the lead late in the game, scoring in the 89th minute through a Firas Chaouat back-header. However, Mali equalised when Yassine Meriah handled a free-kick in the box, resulting in a penalty that Lassine Sinayoko successfully converted. Sinayoko then also scored the decisive penalty in the shootout, securing Mali's progression.
The match highlighted Tunisia's struggles, particularly a sense of paranoia and fearfulness under pressure, with criticisms of their self-doubt and a negative approach attributed to coach Sami Trabelsi following their group-stage and Arab Cup performances. Tunisia's reluctance to attack after being a player down was seen as a major factor in their defeat rather than purely Mali's play.
Mali's tactical approach was characterized as defensively solid and focused on counter-attacking. Notably, all four of Mali's games in the tournament up to this stage had ended in draws after 90 minutes, indicating psychological barriers in overcoming stronger opposition during regular time.
