Morocco and Mali shared the spoils in Rabat after a tense 1–1 draw in their Group A encounter at the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025. This leaves the qualification for the Round of 16 wide open ahead of the final group fixtures.
The hosts, supported by a passionate home crowd, dominated much of the first half and dictated play with confident build-up football.
However, Mali remained disciplined, compact, and difficult to break down, absorbing Morocco’s pressure with tactical maturity.
Also read: AFCON 2025: Zambia and Comoros share points after goalless Group A draw
Their resilience was finally broken in added time at the end of the first half. Following a VAR review for handball, the referee awarded Morocco a penalty, which Brahim Díaz coolly converted to give the Atlas Lions a narrow lead at the interval.
Mali responded strongly after the restart, coming out with greater intent and attacking purpose. Their persistence paid off shortly after the hour mark when Lassina Sinayoko was fouled inside the penalty area.
The forward calmly stepped up and scored the penalty to restore parity. The final stages saw Morocco press forward in search of a late winner, increasing their tempo and bringing on fresh attacking options.
However, Mali’s defensive organisation remained solid, and the points were shared at full-time.
With everything now hinging on the decisive final round of fixtures, Morocco will face Zambia while Mali take on Comoros, with both sides still firmly in contention for a place in the knockout phase.