Tunisia 1-1 Mali: Carthage Eagles grab vital point to stay afloat

Tunisia earned their first point at the Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday, coming from behind to draw 1-1 with Mali in their second Group E match.

Mali took an early lead through Lassine Sinayoko, but Tunisia's Hamza Rafia equalised within ten minutes at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium.

Tunisia suffered an upset defeat in their first game against Namibia, while Mali defeated South Africa the same evening and now leads the standings by four points.

Namibia and South Africa will play their second group game in Korhogo on Sunday.

Mali took the lead in the tenth minute when Sinayoko scored his second goal of the tournament, shooting from the left and hitting the inside of the post.

However, Tunisia levelled in the 20th minute when fullback Ali Abdi pulled the ball back into the path of Rafia, who fired home to level the score and complete a sweeping passing move.

The match lacked the excitement of Saturday's earlier games in nearby Bouake, where the two Group D games combined for nine goals in a flurry of entertainment.

Korhogo's proximity to the Mali border resulted in a lot of support, but not much to get excited about.

Sinayako had a half-chance 11 minutes from time to restore Mali's lead and advance to the next round, but his shot was blocked by Tunisia's defence.

With the top two teams in each group, as well as the four best third-place finishers, advancing to the round of 16, Mali's four-point haul is almost certain to secure their spot in the next round.

Tunisia, who defeated France at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, will most likely need to win their final game against South Africa on Wednesday in Korhogo to advance.

SportsLigue