Djigui Diarra said his mind was with the Malian people as he produced a heroic display to send Mali into the AFCON 2025 quarter-finals with a dramatic penalty shootout win over Tunisia in Casablanca.
The goalkeeper was outstanding throughout a gruelling 1–1 draw over 120 minutes before decisively saving in the 3–2 shootout triumph.
“From the start of the match, we knew it was going to be difficult, especially after one of our players received a red card,” Diarra explained, recalling how Wayo Coulibaly’s first-half dismissal forced Mali to dig deep.
“We spoke among ourselves as players and the coach gave us valuable advice. The match remained tough right through to the penalty shoot-out.”
Diarra said the team’s mindset changed once the game went to spot-kicks. “We worked very hard to reach this result, and when it came to penalties, all the players said it was time to qualify. Personally, I was thinking about the Malian people,” he revealed.
His saves, combined with Lassine Sinayoko’s last-gasp equaliser in normal time, ensured Mali will now face Senegal in a tantalising West African quarter-final.
