Saint Fite expresses frustration after Africa Cup of Nations deadlock in Rabat
Tom Saintfitt criticizes referee after Mali rejects penalty in 1-1 draw with Morocco at Africa Cup of Nations
Mali coach Tom Saintfitt publicly criticized the referee’s decision following the 1-1 draw with Morocco in the second round of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations group stage.
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Both teams were awarded penalty kicks in the Group B match in Rabat, but San Fet believed the referee favored the hosts and denied Mali a crucial second penalty.
Santa Fe questions penalty decision
The Belgium coach disputed a penalty awarded to Morocco for handball while insisting Mali were unfairly denied another penalty following an apparent handball by Moroccan defender Nayef Ageld.
“I saw this incident again on television,” Santa Fet said. “The defender obviously touched the ball with his hands. It’s disappointing that we didn’t get that penalty.”
Coach Mali acknowledged the difficulty of refereeing, but pointed out that the Cameroonian referee’s penalty was the decisive factor in the outcome of the game.
Despite the frustration, Santa Fet praised his players’ performance, especially after a second consecutive draw.
“I’m happy with the performance of the team, but I’m not completely happy with the result,” he explained. “As a coach, I want to win every game.”
He added that Mali went into the World Cup with clear ambitions, including topping their group, but that goal was now more complicated after failing to beat Zambia in the previous round.
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Looking ahead to the final group stage match, Santa Fe admits Mali’s fate may depend on other results.
“I hope Zambia does everything it can to get a good result against Morocco,” he said. “We will also do our best to win the game. Finishing first in the group will make things easier for us later on.”
