Diarra the Hero as Eagles Overcome Red Card and Late Deficit to Stun Tunisia
Mali displayed extraordinary resilience on Saturday, overcoming an early red card and a last-minute deficit to defeat Tunisia 3-2 in a penalty shootout and secure a dramatic place in the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals.
The match turned on a major first-half incident when Mali’s Woyo Coulibaly was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Hannibal Mejbri in the 25th minute. Forced to play over an hour with ten men, Mali dug in defensively, absorbing relentless Tunisian pressure while creating little of their own.
The Eagles of Carthage seemed to have won it in heartbreaking fashion for Mali when striker Mohamed Amine Chaouat headed home in the 89th minute. But in a stunning twist, Mali were awarded a penalty in the dying seconds of stoppage time for a handball. Striker Lassine Sinayoko kept his nerve to equalize, sending the match into extra time.
With no further goals, the contest moved to penalties. Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra, who had been solid throughout, became the hero, making two crucial saves in the shootout. El Bilal Touré then converted the decisive fifth penalty to spark wild celebrations.
“It is a victory of immense heart,” said Mali coach Eric Chelle. “The players showed the spirit of a lion. To play for so long with ten men and to never give up, this is the character of our nation.”
For Tunisia, the defeat marks a bitter exit. Despite dominating possession and creating the better chances, they failed to capitalize on their numerical advantage for over 90 minutes and were ultimately punished from the spot.
Mali will now face Senegal in a highly anticipated quarterfinal clash, their remarkable journey in the tournament fueled by grit and determination. Tunisia, meanwhile, must regroup ahead of this summer’s FIFA World Cup in North America.
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