Fiery AFCON Showdown: Four Cards, One Red, and a Gripping Tunisia–Mali Duel
3 January 2026
Match context
Violent scenes shaped the Tunisia versus Mali clash early, played at Mohammed V Stadium as part of the Africa Cup of Nations last-16 in Morocco.
Within the first 30 minutes, the referee produced four yellow cards — two for Tunisia (Haj Mahmoud and Dylan Bronn) and two for Mali (Iev Bissouma and Mamadou Doumbia).
In the 27th minute, the referee showed a red card to Woyo Koulibaly after a hard challenge on Hannibal Majhbri’s ankle.
The Tunisians suffered an early blow as Bronn picked up an injury in the tenth minute, with Yassine Meriah coming on to replace him.
The winner of today’s match will face Senegal in the quarterfinals, who had earlier eliminated Sudan 3-1.
Historically, the two sides have met four times in AFCON, and Mali have yet to beat Tunisia, with Tunisia recording two wins and two draws.
Outlook
The clash remains a pivotal point in the tournament, with Tunisia hoping to maintain momentum and Mali aiming to upset the odds and keep their Cup journey alive.
Senegal’s quarterfinals berth looms as the next hurdle for the winner, continuing a tournament narrative where every card can count and every mistake costs a life (of the ball, at least).
In AFCON history, the record between these two nations tips slightly in Tunisia’s favor, and today’s card-filled affair only amplifies the drama as the competition moves toward its knockout stage.
Punchline time: if football ever needed a reminder that a card a minute keeps the coach honest, today delivered the syllabus—though a red card still leaves more questions than a multiple-choice exam.
Punchline 2: the only thing more volatile than this match is my coffee after reading the referee’s card count—stronger, darker, and potentially ejectable.
