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Everton playmaker Iliman Ndiaye scored the winner and Tottenham’s Yves Bissouma was sent off as Senegal beat 10-man Mali to book a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-final with Egypt or the Ivory Coast.
Ndiaye pounced for the winning goal in the 27th minute in Tangier after goalkeeper Djigui Diarra tipped over Krepin Diatta’s low cross from inside the box on the right, slotting in after teammate Habib Diallo made an obstacle to Diarra and the ball.
Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma was sent off in first-half injury time, although Mali – playing their second consecutive game with a player sent off before the break – held on admirably, with Diarra tipping Lamine Camara’s late volley against a post to deny Senegal a second.
The Lions of Teranga will be in Tangier again on Wednesday (5:00 p.m. GMT) to face the seven-time winners or the title holders, who meet in the quarter-final in Agadir on Saturday (7:00 p.m.).
Mali vs Senegal: Bissouma red card
Having not played for Spurs this season and suffering disciplinary action at his club, Bissouma’s campaign to be forgotten continued with a justified dismissal for two clumsy challenges.
Mali’s third red card of the tournament inspired another spirited response from Tom Saintfiet’s side, who beat Tunisia on penalties in the round of 16 despite Woyo Coulibaly being sent off in the 26th minute and falling behind two minutes from the end of normal time.
The Eagles will likely feel aggrieved at not being awarded a penalty when Kalidou Koulibaly appeared to bring down Lassine Sinayoko, and they will regret the lack of ruthlessness following the occasional chances they created and an error on goal by Diarra, who then made numerous vital saves.
Diarra was under pressure during Diatta’s delivery and had already been treated earlier, but the hero of that shootout victory on Saturday should have kept the ball as his team left the final without a win in open play.
Pape Thiaw’s Senegal deservedly qualified and are now two wins away from their sole AFCON title, with their immediate path potentially blocked by Mohamed Salah’s Egypt, who they beat on penalties in the 2021 final.
Mali vs Senegal: statistics from the CAN 2025 quarter-finals
- Senegal now has 20 wins to Mali’s eight in the 42 meetings between the teams, outscoring them 62-38.
- They are unbeaten in their last 14 matches against Mali, recording seven wins and seven draws.
- A run of 16 CAN matches without defeat (11 wins, 5 draws) is their longest such run in the competition.
- This is the first time that Senegal has won four open play matches during the same CAN since 2019.
- Their last AFCON defeat came in the 2019 final against Algeria and they have scored in their last nine AFCON matches.
- They are unbeaten in open play in their last seven knockout matches at all stages.
- Mali have not beaten Senegal since their 2-1 friendly victory in November 1997.
- Their previous two knockout matches ended in extra time: the 2023 quarter-final defeat to Ivory Coast and the victory against Tunisia in the round of 16 in Morocco.
- The defeat means they have not reached the semi-finals since 2013.
CAN 2025: Mali team against Senegal
Full-back Coulibaly has been suspended for Mali. Midfielder Coulibaly recovered from a blow that should have kept him out.
Mali starting lineup: Djela Diarra, Hamari Traoré, Abdoulaye Dial, Lafnamara, Lasina Couliba, Aligaliba, Aungeryou Dislima, Handaliyé, President of Sessia Koura, Ibrahim.
Substitutes for Mali: Isma Diawara, Amadou Danbout, Sikoute, Mareda, Maredou Doubbia, Elhado Doubal, FESIDIRE, Mamadou FUBARA, Mamadou FUBARA, Mamadou FIGURE
Senegal team vs Mali: CAN 2025 quarter-final
Nicolas Jackson was surprisingly returned to the Senegal bench, with Diallo starting in attack. Ismaila Sarr was also excluded, with the arrival of Ndiaye.
Captain Koulibaly returned following a ban.
Senegal starting lineup: Edouard Mendy, Krepin Diatta, Kalidou Koulibaly, Moussa Niakhate, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Habib Diarra, Idrissa Gueye, Pape Gueye, Iliman Ndiaye, Habib Diallo, Sadio Mane
Substitutes for Senegal: Yehvann Diouf, Mamadou Sarr, Abdoulaye Seck, Pathe Ciss, Lamine Camara, Boulaye Dia, Nicolas Jackson, Cherif Ndiaye, Ismail Jakobs, Pape Matar Sarr, Ismaila Sarr, Cheikh Sabaly, Mory Diaw, Antoine Mendy, Ibrahim Mbaye
CAN 2025: Senegal team
Goalkeepers: Mory Diaw (Le Havre), Yehvann Diouf (Nice), Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahli)
Defenders: Ilay Camara (Anderlecht), Krepin Diatta (Monaco), El Hadji Malik Diouf (West Ham United), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal), Antoine Mendy (Nice), Moussa Niakhate (Lyon), Mamadou Sarr (Strasbourg), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa)
Midfield: Lamine Camara (Monaco), Pathé Ciss (Rayo Vallecano), Habib Diarra (Sunderland), Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton), Pape Gueye (Villarreal), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham Hotspur), Ousseynou Niang (Union Saint-Gilloise)
Advantages: Boulaye Dia (Lazio), Habib Diallo (Metz), Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich), Sadio Mane (Al Nassr), Ibrahim Mbaye (Paris St-Germain), Cherif Ndiaye (Samsunspor), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton), Cheikh Sabaly (Metz), Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace)
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CAN 2025: The Mali team
Goalkeepers: Djigui Diarra (Young Africans), Ismael Diawara (Sirius), Mamadou Samassa (Laval)
Defenders: Sikou Niakate (Buaga, Abdoulaye Diaby (Gurasshoat), flowed (Levouclore), Harido Traoré (Leris), Commune Hariti (Gubari)
Midfield: Amadou Haidara (RB Leipzig), Lassana Coulibaly (Lecce), Mohamed Camara (Al Sadd), Mamadou Sangare (Lens), Aliou Dieng (Al Ahly), Yves Bissouma (Tottenham), Mahamadou Doumbia (Al-Ittihad), Ibrahima Sissoko (Bochum)
Advantages: Néon à Dorgeles), Mamadouousou Kouriou Diarra, Mamadou Camara), Mamadou Casedum, Elation Berader (Seve), Mamadou Doules (Waredé), Mamadou Doum
CAN 2025 schedule, results, full schedule of the African Cup of Nations
All times are GMT.
Sunday December 21, 2025
- Group A: Morocco 2-0 Comoros (Rabat)
Monday December 22, 2025
- Group A: Mali 1-1 Zambia (Casablanca)
- Group B: South Africa 2-1 Angola (Marrakech)
- Group B: Egypt 2-1 Zimbabwe (Agadir)
Tuesday December 23, 2025
- Group D: Senegal 3-0 Botswana (Tangie)
- Group D: DR Congo 1-0 Benin (Rabat)
- Group C: Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania (Fez)
- Group C: Tunisia 3-1 Uganda (Rabat)
Wednesday December 24, 2025
- Group E: Burkina Faso 2-1 Equatorial Guinea (Casablanca)
- Group E: Algeria 3-0 Sudan (Rabat)
- Group F: Ivory Coast 1-0 Mozambique (Marrakech)
- Group F: Cameroon 1-0 Gabon (Agadir)
Friday December 26, 2025
- Group B: Angola 1-1 Zimbabwe (Marrakech)
- Group B: Egypt 1-0 South Africa (Agadir)
- Group A: Zambia 0-0 Comoros (Casablanca)
- Group A: Morocco 1-1 Mali (Rabat)
Saturday December 27, 2025
- Group D: Benin 1-0 Botswana (Rabat)
- Group D: Senegal 1-1 DR Congo (Tangier)
- Group C: Uganda 1-1 Tanzania (Rabat)
- Group C: Nigeria 3-2 Tunisia (Fez)
Sunday December 28, 2025
- Group F: Gabon 2-3 Mozambique (Agadir)
- Group E: Equatorial Guinea 0-1 Sudan (Casablanca)
- Group E: Algeria 1-0 Burkina Faso (Rabat)
- Group F: Ivory Coast 1-1 Cameroon, (Marrakech)
Monday December 29, 2025
- Group B: Angola 0-0 Egypt (Agadir)
- Group B: Zimbabwe 2-3 South Africa (Marrakech)
- Group A: Comoros 0-0 Mali (Casablanca)
- Group A: Zambia 0-3 Morocco (Rabat)
Tuesday December 30, 2025
- Group C: Tanzania 1-1 Tunisia (Rabat)
- Group C: Uganda 1-3 Nigeria (Fez)
- Group D: Benin 0-3 Senegal (Tangier)
- Group D: Botswana 0-3 DR Congo (Rabat)
Wednesday December 31, 2025
- Group E: Equatorial Guinea 1-3 Algeria (Rabat)
- Group E: Sudan 0-2 Burkina Faso (Casablanca)
- Group F: Gabon 2-3 Ivory Coast (Marrakech)
- Group F: Mozambique 1-2 Cameroon (Agadir)
2025 African Cup of Nations, round of 16
Saturday January 3, 2026
- SR1: Senegal 3-1 Sudan (Tangier)
- SR2: Mali 1-1 Tunisia (3-2 on penalties) (Casablanca)
Sunday January 4
- SR3: Morocco 1-0 Tanzania (Rabat)
- SR4: South Africa 1-2 Cameroon (Rabat)
Monday January 5
- SR5: Egypt 3-1 Benin (after extra time) (Agadir)
- SR6: Nigeria 4-0 Mozambique (Fes)
Tuesday January 6
- SR7: Algeria 1-0 DR Congo (after extra time) (Rabat)
- SR8: Ivory Coast 3-0 Burkina Faso (Marrakech)
Quarter-finals of the 2025 African Cup of Nations
Friday January 9
- QF1: Mali 0-1 Senegal (Tangier)
- QF2: Cameroon – Morocco (Rabat, 7:00 p.m.)
Saturday January 10
- QF3: Algeria – Nigeria (Marrakech, 4:00 p.m.)
- QF4: Egypt – Ivory Coast (Agadir, 7:00 p.m.)
2025 African Cup of Nations semi-finals
Wednesday January 14
- SF1: Winner QF1 vs Winner QF4 (Tangier, 5:00 p.m.)
- SF2: Winner QF3 vs Winner QF2 (Rabat, 8:00 p.m.)
2025 Africa Cup of Nations third place match
Saturday January 17
- SF1 vs SF2 losers (Casablanca, 4:00 p.m.)
2025 African Cup of Nations Final
Sunday January 18
- Winners SF1 vs SF2 (Rabat, 7:00 p.m.)
