KORHOGO, IVORY COAST – JANUARY 16: Tunisia Manager Jalel Kadri applauds his team during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations group stage match between Tunisia and Namibia at Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium on January 16, 2024 in Korhogo, Ivory Coast. (Photo by MB Media/Getty Images)
Tunisia picked up their first point at the Africa Cup of Nations in Group E following a 1-1 draw with Mali on Saturday night.
Ali Maaloul and Taha Yassine Khenissi were major absentees for the Tunisians, as Les Aigles named star midfield pair Aliou Dieng and Yves Bissouma on the bench.
The Carthage Eagles were on the back-foot on ten minutes as Lassine Sinayoko pulled to the shoulder of the area to come inside and unleashed a strong left-footed shot that crept in off the inside post.
However, the North Africans weren’t troubled and replied ten minutes later when Hamza Rafia ran onto Ali Al-Abdi’s low cross from the left and tapped in from point-blank range after a neat passing move.
Mali eagerly hoped to regain the front-foot minutes to halftime and went inches close through a relentless effort from Amadou Haidara around the area, but he couldn’t find target.
Les Aigles battled to get back in front amidst a large of penetrations, while the North Africans stood calm to see the contest level at the interval.
There were no changes from either bench ahead of the second period, as the clash remained balanced on all fronts.
As the stubborn approach continued throughout, Les Aigles removed Haidara to haul in Nene Dorgeles whereas Sekou Koita was sacrificed to see Fousseni Diabate enter.
Sinyaoko missed a glorious chance in the last 20 minutes to seal a brace as he snapped a cross-field ball at the far post wide of the near corner.
Mali got another opening in added time through a promising free-kick by substitute Bissouma, but the Tottenham Hotspur man fired over as the encounter finished all square on the night.
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
Click HERE to register!
