AFCON 2025 : Mali Hold Firm Against Tunisia Despite First-Half Red Card

Mali and Tunisia went into the break locked in a tense goalless draw, with the Eagles showing resilience despite being reduced to ten men early in the contest.

The game turned on its head in the 28th minute when Mali defender Woyo Coulibaly was shown a straight red card for a serious foul on Tunisia’s Hannibal, forcing Mali to reorganize and dig deep for the remainder of the half.

Tunisia enjoyed greater possession and pushed forward in search of an opener, but Mali’s disciplined defensive display ensured the scoreline remained level at halftime in a closely fought encounter.