Tom Saintfiet, coach of Mali Mamadou Sangare of Mali during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations AFCON Mali Press Conference at the Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca on 02 January 2026 ©Ladjal Djaffar/BackpagePix
Friday Jan 02, 2026. 15:47
Mali will be looking to end Tunisia’s hopes of being crowned African champions in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Round of 16 match on Saturday.
Kick-off is at 9:00 pm CAT.
The knockout phase encounter is scheduled to be played at the Mohammed V Stadium in Morocco’s biggest city, Casablanca.
The Eagles stretched their unbeaten run to six matches across all competitions when they drew 0-0 with Comoros in their final Group A match on December 29.
Mali progressed to the Round of 16 as Group A runners-up after collecting just three points from three matches, reaching the knockout phase despite failing to win a single group stage match.
“It feels weird honestly, because as coach, you want to win games, you want to do it also for the public, and it is not that we didn’t play well,” Mali head coach Tom Saintfiet said.
“We scored two goals in three games, one penalty and one on normal play. Everyone talks of how we have a good combination of football, but we have to be more efficient in front of goal, and that is something we have to work on before the coming game.”
Mali have been dealt a blow as Amadou Haidara is suspended after receiving a straight red card late in the Eagles’ final group game, while Sikou Niakate, and Hamari Traore are injury doubts.
Tunisia, on the other hand, are winless in their last two matches across all competitions, having drawn 1-1 with Tanzania in their last Group C match on December 30.
The Carthage Eagles advanced to the Round of 16 as Group C runners-up after accumulating four points from three games, with their win over Uganda on matchday one proving crucial.
“The most important thing was to secure qualification. We have not done well in this competition in recent years and that is why qualification is so important,” Tunisia head coach Sami Trabelsi said.
“We may not have played the best way possible, but we are very happy to have qualified. We will be playing against stronger opposition in our upcoming games and will really need to play better because the level of competition will be even higher and requires us to improve.”
Tunisia have no suspension worries, but Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane is an injury doubt, having picked up a knee injury during the group stage loss to Nigeria.
Mali and Tunisia have met 15 times across all competitions since their maiden meeting in March 1967.
The Carthage Eagles have the edge in this rivalry, winning seven matches compared to the Eagles’ five victories, while three games ended in a draw.
The last meeting between the two Eagles ended in a 1-1 draw in the 2023 AFCON Group E match at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium in Korhogo, Ivory Coast in January 2024.