Morocco were forced to settle for a 1–1 draw against Mali in their Group A clash at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Friday night, with both goals coming from the penalty spot.
Brahim Diaz put the host nation ahead just before halftime after VAR awarded Morocco a spot-kick, but Mali hit back in the second half through Lassine Sinayoko to ensure the points were shared.
Okay News reports that Morocco dominated the opening exchanges and took a deserved lead after Diaz calmly converted from the spot following a foul in the box.
Mali, however, grew into the game after the break and were rewarded in the 64th minute when VAR again intervened, this time ruling that Jawad El Yamiq had fouled Sinayoko, who stepped up to equalise for the Eagles.
The result keeps Morocco top of Group A with four points, while Mali sit on two points after back-to-back draws.
Elsewhere in the group, Zambia and Comoros played out the tournament’s first goalless draw, while Egypt became the first team to qualify for the knockout stage after a 1–0 victory over South Africa, with Mohamed Salah converting a VAR-awarded penalty to secure a perfect six-point haul.
