AFCON 2025: Tunisia sack manager as the Eagles heartbreak triggers axe decision

Tunisia have parted ways with head coach Sami Trabelsi following their devastating AFCON 2025 elimination to ten-man Mali, according to a post from African football journalist Gary Al-Smith.

The decision came within hours of the final whistle at the Mohammed V Stadium, where the Carthage Eagles surrendered a late lead and lost on penalties to a Mali side that had played with a numerical disadvantage for over an hour.

The swift dismissal reflects the immense pressure facing the Tunisian federation after a collapse many view as unacceptable for a nation that arrived in Morocco with genuine title aspirations.

Tunisia had dominated large periods of Sunday night's Round of 16 clash, finally breaking through in the 88th minute when Firat Chaouat headed home what appeared to be the winning goal.

But deep into stoppage time, Yassine Meriah's handball gifted Mali a penalty that Lassine Sinayoko converted to force extra time. The match eventually went to a shootout, where Tunisia's nerve failed them, losing 3-2 from the spot.

The manner of the defeat proved fatal for Trabelsi. Surrendering victory to a side reduced to ten men after Wayo Coulibaly's 27th-minute red card has been deemed inexcusable by Tunisian football's decision makers.

Questions about tactical rigidity and mental fragility during the crucial final moments appear to have sealed the coach's fate.

This marks another chapter in Tunisia's recent coaching instability. Trabelsi becomes the nation's fourth coach in three years, highlighting the turbulent state of Tunisian football administration and the ruthless expectations placed on those in charge.

The statistics paint a grim picture of Tunisian tournament struggles. Sunday's elimination means the Carthage Eagles have failed to reach an AFCON quarter-final for the sixth time in their last eight tournament appearances, a record that falls well short of the standards set by previous generations.

For a footballing nation with Tunisia's pedigree and proud AFCON history, including their 2004 triumph, the current trajectory represents a significant decline.

The federation will now begin the search for yet another head coach, hoping to find stability and success that has proven elusive in recent years.

As their conquerors Mali prepare to face Senegal in the quarter-finals, Tunisia head home early, once again left to contemplate what might have been and searching for answers to their prolonged tournament struggles.