AFCON 2025: Mali delays Morocco's qualification and opens Group A

If the first five minutes of the first period gave the impression of an attacking Mali and ready to cause damage offensively and undermine the Moroccan defense, the Eagles will quickly withdraw against the collective control of the Atlas Lions who have continued to push them.

In this one-sided first half, Mali did not frame any shot and will have fired only once in the first ten minutes. On the other hand, Morocco made eight shots on goal with three on target.

Moving through his right corridor, Brahim Diaz kept putting Nathan Gassama, the Malian left-back who was on his side, in difficulty. Whether from the outside or by going inside, the attacking midfielder of Real Madrid was unbearable and will be rewarded with a penalty in additional time, after a hand into Gassama’s area. With a perfect disadvantage, Brahim Diaz scored his penalty and allowed Morocco to return to the locker room with this advantage.

Lassine Sinayoko gets Mali back in the game
Tom Saintfiet had promised it. Mali was not going to lay down the bus against Morocco and even if the Eagles exposed themselves a few times in the first period before tightening the lines, they continued in their offensive logic in the second part.

Lassine Sinayoko and his teammates continued to push and will score a penalty in the 64th minute that the AJ Auxerre striker managed to convert. Twelve minutes later, Sinayoko contracted an injury and was forced to go out to let El Bilal Touré make his debut.

Mali thus lost one of their best players if not the best on the field, thereby reducing pressure on Morocco. Except that Djigui Diarra took up the torch with a decisive footing in the 77th minute on a one-on-one situation with Ayoub El Kaabi.

Tension at the end of the match
In this tense end of the match, ten minutes of additional time were granted to both teams but the suspense remained intact until the end of the meeting. Woyo Coulibaly on the last action of the match, trying to deflect a ball from the head, almost surprised Djigui Diarra, but the latter, vigilant on his line saved Mali who snatched this point from the draw and now has 2 points before facing Comoros for "their final" on Monday.

Morocco, on its side, will face Zambia and could qualify in case of a draw. But to secure the first place in the group, the men from Walid Regragui must win this last day of the AFCON 2025 groups.