Senegal surged into the semi-finals of the Cup of Nations with a thrilling 1-0 victory over their fierce rivals, Mali, in an electric atmosphere at the Tangier Grand Stadium on Friday.
As the quarter-finals approached, Senegal was the outright favourite, although Mali had shown a pragmatic approach throughout the tournament.
In the opening 25 minutes, both teams were eager to take advantage of their half-chances until Iliman Ndiaye found the net in the 28th minute. The goal resulted from a blunder by Mali’s goalkeeper, Diarra, who misjudged a cross and let it slip under minimal pressure, leaving the ball loose in the six-yard box. Ndiaye was quick to pounce and tap it in.
Things took a turn for the worse for Mali just before half-time when Yves Bissouma was shown a red card, further putting his team at a disadvantage.
Despite numerous attempts by Senegal to extend their lead, Djigui Diarra, the goalkeeper for Mali, made some fantastic saves to keep his side in the game. Just like in the match against Tunisia,
Mali was hoping for that one chance to turn things around, while the Teranga Lions stood resilient in their quest to secure the win.
