Despite being in the majority for a whole half, Senegal struggled for a long time in the African Cup quarter-finals against Mali, but in the end they reached the semi-finals with a meager 1-0 (1-0).
Iliman Ndiaye scored the goal of the day (27th minute) for the 2022 title winners. Mali’s Yves Bissouma saw a yellow-red card in stoppage time in the first half (45th + 3).
Ndiaye uses Diarra’s mistake to take the lead
The game started rather moderately, the favored Senegal were primarily concerned with quickly taking control of the game, while Mali, after a few decent offensive attempts in the first few minutes, were increasingly more concerned with robust work against the ball. Apart from a deflected shot from Senegal’s Pape Gueye after ten minutes, which ended up flying past the right post, there were no real chances to score in the first 25 minutes.
That changed in the 27th minute when the Senegalese got through to the opponent’s baseline via Monaco’s Krepin Diatta. The right-back brought the ball flat into the middle, where enough defenders were actually positioned. But Mali’s goalkeeper Djigui Diarra let the cross slip under his own body, so that Ndiaye only had to push it into the empty goal in the middle.
Bissouma too impetuous – Mali outnumbered
Despite the goal, it remained a disjointed game with many interruptions for treatment and hardly any offensive signs of life from Mali.
A lot happened in the long added time of the first half: First, Diarra prevented El Hadji Diouf from making it 2-0 with a strong save (45+2), but just a minute later his teammates had to be annoyed again: Captain Bissouma, who had been shown a yellow card early on for a swipe on Sadio Mané, came too late in a duel in midfield and received the justified second warning. It was the third expulsion for Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet’s team in the current tournament.
Diarra prevents the decision several times
In the second round, the Senegalese tried to decide the game, but Diarra made a strong save against Idrissa Gueye (49′). After almost an hour, Mali almost equalized out of nowhere, a free kick slipped through and the following finish from defender Abdoulaye Diaby forced Edouard Mendy to dive in the goal at lightning speed (57th).
The Senegalese, where Bayern Munich’s Nicolas Jackson spent the entire game on the bench, slowly had to accept the accusation of not going for the second goal consistently enough despite being in the majority. It wasn’t until the 67th minute that Pape Thiaw’s team once again appeared dangerous in front of Diarra, but the goalkeeper first saved well against a Mané shot and then a header from Pathé Ciss. Ciss also failed in the 75th minute, completely free from Diarra, who, had he not been responsible for the 0-1 result, was by far the best player on the pitch.
This time none Outnumbered miracle like against Tunisia
And Mali stayed in the game accordingly; in the round of 16 against Tunisia they had already played a large part of the game outnumbered and ultimately prevailed on penalties. This time it didn’t happen, although Diarra once again made a brilliant save after a terribly played three-on-one counterattack by Senegal (90th + 3). His front men didn’t create any good opportunities and in the end Senegal deservedly celebrated, but they certainly didn’t cover themselves with playful glory.