Mali played for over 100 minutes with 10 men but still came from behind to defeat Tunisia 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in Casablanca on Saturday to set up an Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal against Senegal on Friday.

A scrappy and ill-tempered contest burst into life in the final minutes, as substitute Firas Chaouat thought he'd headed home an 88th-minute winner only for Yassine Sinayoko to convert a 96th-minute equaliser from the penalty spot after Yassine Meriah's handball.

Despite being down a man since Woyo Coulibaly's 26th-minute red card, Mali negated Tunisia's numerical advantage during extra time, and then prevailed on penalties after goalkeeper Djigui Diarra saved from Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane and Elias Achouri.

Mali now progress to meet Senegal, who saw off Sudan 3-1 in Tanger earlier in the day, while Tunisia return home questioning how they were unable to make the most of their numerical superiority for over an hour and a half of football.

They thought they'd won it when Chaouat rose highest to meet fellow substitute Elias Saad's sweeping cross in the 88th minute to finally break the resolve of a Mali defence that had comfortably handled everything the Carthage Eagles had thrown at them despite playing for over an hour with 10 men at that point.

The early sending off was the standout moment of a scrappy, fragmented first half, with neither side truly able to impose themselves on the other, and Hannibal Mejbri's moments of inspiration unable to help Tunisia capitalise on their advantage.

---

No team in the tournament completed more tackles than Mali during the group stage, and the Eagles also boasted comfortably the worst disciplinary record across the first three matches, with 10 yellow cards and one red.

The first half was mottled with sloppy passing and clumsy challenges, with both sides picking up two bookings before Coulibaly was shown a straight red just before the half-hour mark for a late, high tackle from behind on Mejbri.

Tunisia dominated the ball -- registering over 70% possession - but rarely tested Diarra as their swift attacking play met a resilient Mali rearguard. Despite losing defender Dylan Bronn to an early muscle injury in the 12th minute, the Eagles had the only real chance of the first half, with Ismaël Gharbi firing wide during the early exchanges.

Little changed after the break, with Mali's defensive stoutness consistently neutralising the North Africans. On the hour mark, Mejbri was booked for simulation as he sought a penalty in the Mali box -- a sign of the Eagles' increasing frustration -- although he did force an unconvincing save from Diarra in the 80th minute as the keeper parried the ball away at his near post.

Two minutes from time, the pressure told, with Chaouat benefiting from some uncharacteristically disorganised Mali defending to meet Saad's delicious cross and divert the ball beyond Diarra.

Almost immediately after conceding, Mali threw caution to the wind and were rewarded when Meriah, the early replacement for Bronn, was adjudged to have handled a Mali free kick as it dropped into the box, following extended VAR consultation.

The impressive Sinayoko duly stepped up to convert past Dahmen, who went the right way but was unable to deny the Auxerre frontman, sending the contest to extra time.

Tunisia sought to impose themselves again in the added 30 minutes, and thought they had restored their lead early in the second period when Chaouat touched home into an open net after the Eagles prised open their opponents, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside.

Tunisia's frustrations at putting away Mali during the match were carried over to the shootout; Yves Bissouma gave the North Africans an early advantage when he fired over after Meriah had converted the Eagles' first kick, only for Ali Al-Abdi to spurn his effort wide over the bar.

Sinayoko stepped up again to make it 1-1, and after Saad finished low beyond Diarra, Nene Dorgeles hit his penalty against the post to again hand the advantage to Tunisia.

However, once again, they were unable to capitalise, with Diarra saving first from Achouri and then from Ben Romdhane, either side of successful penalties from Gaoussou Diakhite and El Bilal Toure, to send Mali -- still to win a game at this competition -- through to an unlikely quarterfinal.