Rabat—Morocco played out a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Mali in their second Group A match at AFCON 2025, keeping the Atlas Lions at the top of the group with 4 points.
The first half was intense, with Mali showing a solid, physical game that made the opening 30 minutes a real midfield battle. Morocco gradually increased their tempo and created chances, but the Mali defense held firm. Brahim Díaz put Morocco ahead just before halftime (47′), converting a penalty to continue his strong start to the tournament after scoring in the opening match against Comoros.
In the second half, Mali was awarded a penalty after a defensive challenge, and Lassine Sinayoko confidently converted (64′), leveling the score at 1-1. Despite Morocco dominating possession and creating multiple chances, they couldn’t find the winner.
The match also featured a star presence in the stands: Kylian Mbappé was spotted wearing Achraf Hakimi’s number 2 jersey, showing his support for the Atlas Lions.
With this result, Morocco maintains the top spot in Group A, ahead of Mali with 4 points to Mali’s 2. Zambia sits third after the opening round. The Atlas Lions now turn their focus to the final group match against Zambia on Monday, December 29, with qualification to the knockout stage on the line.
