AFCON 2025: Morocco Held by Stubborn Mali
Morocco remained top of Group A but had to settle for a 1–1 draw after Mali fought back in a tense Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) match that saw two penalties awarded after VAR reviews.
Brahim Diaz gave the Atlas Lions the lead deep into first-half stoppage time, calmly scoring from the spot after VAR spotted a handball in the Mali box.
Mali responded in the second half with a penalty of their own. Lassine Sinayoko kept his composure to score and deny Morocco a second straight win in the tournament.
The result leaves host nation Morocco on four points from two matches, while Mali move up to two points ahead of the final round of group games.
Morocco controlled much of the first half and created the better chances. Diaz was denied from close range by a fine save from Djigui Diarra, while Ayoub El Kaabi and Ismael Saibari both headed over when well placed.
The breakthrough came just before the break when VAR intervened to punish a handball. Diaz sent the goalkeeper the wrong way with a low penalty to give Morocco a deserved lead at half-time.
Mali came out stronger after the restart and were rewarded just after the hour mark. Another VAR review resulted in a penalty, and Sinayoko made no mistake as he fired past Bono to bring Mali level.
Both teams pushed for a winning goal in the final stages. Morocco applied late pressure, with Jawad El Yamiq heading narrowly wide and Diarra forced into several saves from corners. However, Mali held on through ten minutes of added time.
Morocco will now look to confirm qualification when they face Zambia next. Mali, meanwhile, know that a win against Comoros, who picked up their first point earlier in the day, could still see them progress to the knockout stage.
