KORHOGO, Ivory Coast: Mali stayed top of Group E and Tunisia clawed back into contention for a last-16 place after a 1-1 draw in a drab Africa Cup of Nations clash that petered out following a lively start on Saturday.
Lassine Sinayoko gave Mali an early lead that was canceled by Hamza Rafia midway through the first half in Korhogo.
But the clash of two top 10-ranked teams in Africa provided little other excitement as Mali sought revenge for a 2022 World Cup play-off loss to Tunisia.
Mali have four points, Namibia three, Tunisia one and South Africa none, with the two southern Africa nations meeting on Sunday.
Tunisia made several changes to the team beaten by Namibia with two veterans among those missing for the match in the most northern of the five Ivorian host cities.
An injury sustained early in the game against Namibia ruled out forward Taha Yassine Khenissi, 32, while adventurous left-back Ali Maaloul, 34, was dropped to the bench.
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Yves Bissouma, the best known player in the Mali squad, was among their 12 substitutes after starting in the victory over South Africa four days ago.
After soaking up early Tunisian pressure before a near-capacity crowd in a 20,000-seat stadium built for the tournament, Mali went ahead on 10 minutes.
Slick passing down the left flank ended with Sinayoko bursting into the box and his low shot across goalkeeper Bechir Ben Said went into the net off the far post.
Rattled at falling behind, Tunisia gradually regained their composure and levelled after 20 minutes.
Ali Abdi crossed from the left and although Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra got a hand to a shot from Rafia, he could not stop the ball trickling into the net.
The tempo slowed after the equalizer and the only scoring chance before half-time came to nought when a Sekou Koita free-kick struck the defensive wall and was cleared.
Mali were first to threaten in the second half with Kamory Doumbia breaking from midfield before his shot flew narrowly wide.
Tunisia, whose lone Cup of Nations title came in 2004 when they hosted the competition and defeated Morocco in the final, visibly tired as the second half progressed.
Bissouma was among three substitutes introduced with seven minutes of regular time left as Mali sought the victory that would seal a last-16 place.
He had a chance deep in added time to snatch victory, but his free-kick flew across the goal and wide.
Mali stay top, Tunisia back in contention after drab AFCON draw
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Mali stay top, Tunisia back in contention after drab AFCON draw
- Mali have four points, Namibia three, Tunisia one and South Africa none, with the two southern Africa nations meeting on Sunday
Marmoush, Salah strike as Egypt edge out holders Ivory Coast in quarter-final
- Egypt wasted little time in taking the lead as Marmoush scored in the fourth minute
- That set up a siege of the Egyptian goal in the final 15 minutes but they held out to advance
AGADIR, Morocco: Omar Marmoush netted the opener and Mohamed Salah scored the decisive goal as Egypt ended Ivory Coast’s reign with a narrow 3-2 triumph in Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final.
Center back Rami Rabia was the other scorer for the Egyptians, who had little possession at the Grande Stade Agadir but took their chances with clinical precision and held on grimly to book a semifinal meeting with Senegal on Wednesday.
An own goal from Ahmed Fatouh and a late effort by Guela Doue proved insufficient for the Ivory Coast, winners of the tournament on home soil two years ago but now deposed as African champions.
Egypt, who have won a record seven Cup of Nations titles, wasted little time in taking the lead as Marmoush scored in the fourth minute after Hamdi Fathy pinched the ball from Franck Kessie in the midfield, allowing Emam Ashour to thread a pinpoint ball to the sprinting Marmoush. He still needed to shrug off the attentions of defender Odilon Kossounou before slotting home.
But it quickly became clear the Ivorians were going to dominate possession, showing much more physical strength on the ball but without setting up clear chances.
Egypt went 2-0 up in the 32nd minute when Rabia rose above the defenders to head his side further ahead from a corner.
The Ivory Coast, who had 70 percent of possession in the first half, reduced the deficit eight minutes later when teenager Yann Diomande’s freekick near the corner took a slight brush off Kossounou’s head and ricocheted off the knee of full back Fatouh and into the net.
SALAH FINISHED OFF CLEVER MOVE
The Ivorians had come from 2-0 down to beat Gabon 3-2 earlier in the tournament but hopes of turning the scoreline around soon after the re-start were stymied by a simply created, but superbly finished, goal for Salah seven minutes after the break.
Rabia was well inside his own half when he chipped the ball over the top of the Ivorian defensive line, allowing Ashour to run onto it and hit an accurate pass with the outside of his right boot into the path of Salah to score.
An Ivorian comeback was still on when Doue touched home at the end of a goalmouth scramble in the 73rd minute.
That set up a siege of the Egyptian goal in the final 15 minutes but they held out to advance.
Earlier on Saturday, Nigeria overpowered Algeria 2-0 in Marrakech and will take on hosts Morocco in the other semifinal.
