Tom Saintfiet criticises referee after Mali denied penalty in 1-1 AFCON draw with Morocco

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Tom Saintfiet criticises referee after Mali denied penalty in 1-1 AFCON draw with Morocco

Saintfiet voices frustration after AFCON stalemate in Rabat

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Tom Saintfiet criticises referee after Mali denied penalty in 1-1 AFCON draw with Morocco

Mali head coach Tom Saintfiet has openly criticised the refereeing decisions following his side’s 1-1 draw with Morocco in the second round of the AFCON 2025 group stage.

The Group B encounter played in Rabat saw both teams awarded penalties but Saintfiet believes the officiating favoured the tournament hosts and denied Mali crucial second spot-kick.

Saintfiet questions penalty decisions​

The Belgian coach took issue with the penalty awarded to Morocco for handball while insisting Mali were unfairly denied another penalty after what he described as clear handball by Moroccan defender Nayef Aguerd.

“I saw the incident again on television,” Saintfiet said. “The defender clearly touched the ball with his hand. It’s disappointing that we didn’t get that penalty.”

While acknowledging the difficulty of refereeing, the Mali coach pointed towards the Cameroonian referee’s decisions as decisive factor in the outcome.

Despite his frustration, Saintfiet praised his players’ performance especially after securing second consecutive draw in the tournament.

“I’m happy with my team’s performance but I’m not completely satisfied with the result,” he explained. “As a coach, I want to win every match.”

He added that Mali had entered the tournament with clear ambitions including topping the group, a goal now made more complicated after failing to beat Zambia in the previous round.

Looking ahead to the final group matches, Saintfiet admitted Mali’s fate may depend on other results.

“I hope Zambia give everything to get point against Morocco,” he said. “We will also give everything to win our match. Finishing top of the group will make things easier for us later.”

AFCON 2025 Group Standings (After Round 2)​

1. Morocco — 4 points
2. Mali — 2 points
3. Zambia — 2 points
4. Comoros — 1 point

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