• The coach hinted at the influence of external factors, saying: "We know that decisions can change depending on the opponent's name."

Belgian Tom Sintfivet, the head coach of Mali, sparked a wave of controversy after his team’s thrilling 1-1 draw with hosts Morocco on Friday evening, in the second round of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations group stage, directing veiled accusations at the refereeing team for favoring the home side.

"Refereeing injustice".. and a missed penalty

Sintfivet launched a scathing attack on the match referee, asserting that the "Eagles" deserved a second penalty that could have turned the game around and secured all three points.

He said in fiery remarks: "It is unfortunate that the referee overlooked a clear handball, which was exactly the same situation for which Morocco was awarded a penalty… Had we been treated fairly, we would have won the match."

The coach also hinted at the influence of external factors, saying: "We know that decisions can change depending on the opponent's name… In front of 69,000 spectators in Rabat, it seems the referee was influenced by the crowd pressure and the opponent's stature."

Match scenario.. a draw delays the decision

Technically, Mali managed to impose a draw with a taste of victory over the "Lions of the Atlas", denying them early qualification. The equalizer came through Lassin Sienayoko, striker of French club Auxerre, from a penalty in the 64th minute, responding to Morocco’s earlier goal.

Sintfivet expressed satisfaction with the tactical performance: "We controlled the midfield and read Morocco’s plan perfectly… Our strategy worked, but the result did not satisfy me 100% because we deserved the win."

Qualification standings

With this result, the decision over the two qualifying spots from Group A has been postponed to the final round:

Morocco × Zambia Mali × Comoros

Mali only needs to win against Comoros to guarantee progression to the Round of 16 without entering complicated calculations.