The knockout stages of the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) are now underway, and already, some unforgettable moments were made on Saturday.
From Mali upsetting the odds with 10 men to a teenage Senegal sensation making history, here are the top three moments from day 13 of the tournament.
In what is now one of the most memorable clashes of the competition, Mali stunned Tunisia on penalties in the round of 16.
On first glance, it may not be surprising, until you look at the context. Mali played for more than 90 minutes of the encounter with 10 men. After defender Woyo Coulibaly saw red early in the match, Mali regrouped and weathered Tunisian pressure at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca.
Tunisia looked set to book their place in the quarter finals when Firas Chaouat headed in a late goal in the 88th minute.
However, deep into stoppage time, Mali were awarded a penalty after a handball in the box.. Lassine Sinayoko made no mistake,converting expertly to send the game into extra time.
The deadlock continued deep into stoppage time. El Bilal Toure stepped up to slot home the decisive kick, sealing a 3-2 shootout win for Mali. They will now face Senegal in the quarter finals.
Senegal’s clash with Sudan on the same day had its moments. The Teranga Lions fought back from an early Aamir Abdalllah goal for Sudan to win 3-1.
Pape Gueye netted twice, before 17-year old PSG star Ibrahim Mbaye stole the headlines with a third goal in the 77th minute.
Not only did he become the youngest Senegalese player to score at the AFCON, he also became the youngest scorer since Shiva N’Zigou, who scored for Gabon against South Africa on 23 January 2000 (16y, 91d).
Although Sudan ultimately fell to Senegal, Abdalah’s goal for Sudan lit up the match to spark hope among their fans.
His powerful finish, cutting inside from the right before curling a left-footed strike into the back of the net gave Sudan an unexpected lead. Despite the eventual result, Abdallah’s goal remains one of the stand out moments from Day 13.
Day 13 delivered moments that could live long in the memory after the tournament ended. Mali’s underdog spirit was one. Mbaye’s goal was another. Abdallah’s strike was a third.
