Stade Malien seal CAF Champions League quarterfinal spot with narrow win over Espérance

Stade Malien booked their place in the quarterfinals of the CAF Champions League following their hard-fought 1–0 victory over Espérance de Tunis. The Bamako-based club was on top form as they humbled their experienced Tunisian opponents.

Both teams entered the game in the hope of securing a win as they topped Group D. With Angolan side Petro Atletico held at home by Simba a day before, Stade Malien and Esperance went for victory.

The encounter kicked off at a slow pace due to cautious play at both ends. Espérance came close to breaking the deadlock through Abdramane Konaté’s header. The Ivorian winger failed to hit the target from close range in the 18th minute.

The home side struggled to create scoring chances, but they were almost ahead before the interval with a superb effort from Daouda Coulibaly. The 23-year-old Malian saw his effort rattle the crossbar.

After the resumption, Stade Malien took an early lead through their talisman Coulibaly. A defensive error at the back helped Coulibaly score from a rebound after his initial effort was denied by Espérance goalie Bechir Ben Saïd in the 54th minute.

Espérance looked out of ideas after conceding, and they did little to get back into the tie. On the contrary, the Mali outfit grew in confidence and controlled the tempo of the encounter.

Stade Malien managed to reach the knockout stage of the Champions League for the first time since 1973. Under the guidance of Cameroonian head coach Mauril Njoya, the Bamako club achieved the feat by topping Group D with 11 points while Espérance are second with six points.

Coulibaly’s goal secure all 3 points for Stade Malien at home! 👏#TotalEnergiesCAFCL pic.twitter.com/OyjLzlgNWt

— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) February 8, 2026

The Tunisian giants will face third-placed Petro Atletico of Angola on February 14 on matchday six to decide who goes through to the quarterfinals in second place. Both teams are level on points going into the final group stage game but Espérance will advance if they win or avoid a draw by a score greater than 1-1 due to their slight edge in goal difference.

CAF Champions League: Group D Table