Morocco forced to wait for AFCON knockout place after Mali draw
Morocco missed the chance to guarantee their spot in the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations after Lassine Sinayoko's second-half penalty earned Mali a 1-1 draw with the hosts..
✨ Key Highlights
Morocco was held to a 1-1 draw by Mali in a Africa Cup of Nations Group A match, preventing them from immediately securing a place in the knockout stage. The result ended Morocco's impressive 19-match winning streak.
- The match featured two penalties: Brahim Diaz scored for Morocco in first-half injury time, and Lassine Sinayoko equalized for Mali in the 64th minute.
- Morocco currently leads Group A with four points from two games, while Mali and Zambia both have two points.
- Morocco's captain and African player of the year, Achraf Hakimi, was an unused substitute due to an ankle injury, with Kylian Mbappe among the spectators.
Continue Reading
Read the complete article from Standard Sports
Part of the Day's Coverage
Egypt Secures AFCON Knockout Spot; Zimbabwe and Morocco Held to Draws - December 2025
Egypt secured an early spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations knockout stage after a 1-0 victory over South Africa in Agadir. Despite playing with 10 men for much of the match, a penalty converted by star forward Mohamed Salah proved decisive. In a Group B match in Marrakesh, Zimbabwe secured a 1-1 draw against Angola. Veteran forward Knowledge Musona's goal in first-half added time rescued a point for Zimbabwe after Gelson Dala had put Angola ahead. Meanwhile, Morocco was held to a 1-1 draw by Mali in a Group A match. This result prevented Morocco from immediately securing a place in the knockout stage and ended the team's 19-match winning streak.
