January 21, (THEWILL) – Tunisia claimed their first point at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast after a 1-1 draw with Mali in their Group E clash on Sunday. They initially went behind when Lassine Sinayoko slotted home in the 10th minute. However, Hamza Rafia equalised for Tunisia 10 minutes later to earn his side a share of the spoils.
The draw leaves Jalel Kadri’s Tunisia still chasing qualification for the knockout stages in third place on one point. Meanwhile, Mali tops Group E with four points after also defeating South Africa 2-0 in their tournament opener earlier this week.
Mali had started brightly and opened the scoring through Sinayoko, who notched his second goal of the 2024 finals. However, Tunisia fought back quickly, with Rafia firing following good work down the left from Ali Abdi. Chances came at both ends as the game wore on, but neither side could find a winner.
In the end, both Tunisia and Mali had to settle for a point apiece. For Tunisia, the draw keeps their hopes of progressing alive ahead of their final group match with Namibia. Mali remains well-positioned to advance as group winners.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
