File photo showing the Malian national team
Goalkeeper Djigui Diarra saved twice in the shootout to help 10-man Mali to a 3-2 win via penalties after a 1-1 last-16 draw with Tunisia in Casablanca on Saturday and book an Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final with Senegal.
Tunisia striker Firas Chaouat gave his side the lead in the 88th minute as he lost his marker to guide a deep cross from Elias Saad into the net.
However, Mali were awarded a penalty in stoppage time when substitute defender Yassine Meriah inexplicably used his arm to deflect the ball from a free-kick, and Lassine Sinayoko netted in the 97th minute to send the game to extra time.
Mali had been reduced to 10 men in the 26th minute when Woyo Coulibaly stamped on the ankle of Tunisia’s Hannibal Mejbri, and could have few complaints, but they put in a battling performance to snatch the win in the shootout.
Quite remarkably, Mali advance to the quarter-finals having not yet won a game at the tournament in Morocco.
They drew all three of their Group A fixtures but finished runners-up in the pool, and drew against Tunisia in Casablanca.
They will face West African rivals Senegal in Tangier on Friday, after the latter earlier defeated Sudan 3-1 to advance to the last eight.
TOUGH CONDITIONS
The wet and windy conditions in Casablanca did not help the spectacle, and neither did the early red card, but it took until the 79th minute for the first shot on target from either side as Hannibal’s curling free-kick was saved by Diarra.
