On January 3, 2026, AFCON 2025 delivered another classic. Ten-man Mali outlasted Tunisia, drawing 1-1 in regular time and then winning a tense shootout 3-2 to book a place in the quarterfinals. It was a night of courage, calm nerves, and one huge goalkeeper performance when it mattered most.

This Round of 16 tie had everything: an early red card that forced Mali to fight with a man down, a late Tunisia header that seemed to end the dream, a VAR-awarded penalty for Mali deep in stoppage time, and a dramatic set of spot-kicks decided by a cool finish from El Bilal Touré.

Ten men, big hearts: Mali’s resilience defines the night

Mali’s plan changed early. An early red card meant they had to dig in, stay compact, and suffer. With ten men for most of the match, they showed patience and strong shape. They picked their moments to break forward and refused to panic even when the clock ticked down.

Playing with a man less in a knockout game can drain legs and minds. Mali stayed calm. They kept the ball when they could, slowed the pace when needed, and trusted their keeper and back line. Every clearance, every sprint, and every tackle mattered. This was the core of their night: simple, brave, and focused football.

“Down to ten and still ice-cold. That’s tournament steel right there.”

Late twist: Chaouat’s header, then VAR and Sinayoko answer back

Tunisia thought they had it. In the 88th minute, Firas Chaouat rose well and guided a header into the net. After all the hard Mali defending, that late blow looked like the winner. You could feel the shift: Tunisia pushed, Mali looked spent, and time was almost gone.

But the story wasn’t finished. Deep into stoppage time, VAR stepped in to award Mali a penalty. With the pressure as high as it gets, Lassine Sinayoko stepped up. He struck cleanly and leveled the match. It was a huge moment of calm under stress and it sent the tie into extra time, then penalties.

Sinayoko has been a steady taker from the spot at this tournament, and he kept his cool again when his team needed him most. A single kick changed the mood, the math, and the momentum.

“VAR drama, then Sinayoko says ‘not today’. Tunisia were seconds from through, and it flipped.”

Djigui Diarra’s stage: the goalkeeper who refused to blink

Penalty shootouts love heroes, and Mali’s was Djigui Diarra. He stayed big, guessed right, and made the kind of saves that break the other team’s rhythm. In a shootout decided 3-2, every stop is priceless. Diarra’s composure gave his teammates belief with every turn at the spot.

For Tunisia, the margins were thin. A millisecond late on a run-up, a shot a touch too near the gloves — this is how shootouts are lost. For Mali, it was about trusting their keeper and striking clean. When it came time for the final say, El Bilal Touré delivered the decisive penalty. His finish was confident and final. The celebration said it all.

“Diarra owned that shootout. And Touré? Pure nerve. That’s how you close.”

What it means: momentum for Mali, heartbreak for Tunisia

For Mali, this win is more than a place in the last eight. It is proof of character. Playing almost the whole game with ten men and still finding a way speaks to a strong group and a clear mind under stress. They have a goalkeeper in form, a reliable penalty taker in Sinayoko, and a match-winner’s calm in Touré.

For Tunisia, it hurts. They found a late goal and had the tie nearly in their hands. But tournament football is about tiny details — a clipped header, a VAR call, a saved penalty. They did a lot right, and still went home. That’s the cruelty and drama of AFCON.

Key moments and numbers that tell the story

• Score after regular time: 1-1.
• Tunisia goal: Firas Chaouat, 88th-minute header.
• Mali equalizer: Lassine Sinayoko, stoppage-time penalty awarded by VAR.
• Shootout: Mali won 3-2.
• Goalkeeper impact: Djigui Diarra with crucial shootout saves.
• Decisive kick: El Bilal Touré sealed the win.
• Context: Mali played much of the match with ten men after an early red card.

Big-picture AFCON lessons: discipline, detail, and belief

AFCON knockout games often come down to discipline and details. Mali kept both. Even with a red card early on, they stayed organized and patient. Tunisia almost closed it out, but a late call and a cool penalty changed the story.

VAR’s role is now part of every big night. Here, it helped deliver a fair result at a key moment. And in the end, the classic truths of tournament football held up: your keeper needs a big night, your penalty takers need cold blood, and your team needs belief when the plan breaks.

What’s next for Mali

Mali move on to the quarterfinals with wind in their sails. They know they can suffer and still survive. They know they have a keeper in form and players who can step up under pressure. The next opponent will see a team that does not fade when the game turns hard — a team that knows how to win in many ways.

For now, the story is simple: ten men, one giant effort, and a place among the last eight. Mali earned every bit of it.