10-Man Eagles Exited by 2021 Champions, Who Will Face Egypt or Ivory Coast in Final Four
Senegal booked their place in the Africa Cup of Nations semifinals with a gritty 1-0 victory over Mali on Friday, capitalizing on a first-half goalkeeping error and their opponents’ recurring lack of discipline.
The decisive moment came in the 35th minute when Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra failed to gather a low cross, allowing Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye to tap into an empty net.
Mali’s task became even harder just before halftime when captain Yves Bissouma was sent off for a second bookable offense, continuing a tournament pattern—the Eagles finished with 10 men for the third consecutive match.
“It was a difficult game against a strong team, but we showed the mentality of champions,” said Senegal coach Aliou Cissé. “We stayed focused and took our chance.”
Despite being a man down, Mali fought bravely in the second half. Edouard Mendy made crucial saves to deny Abdoulaye Diaby, while Diarra atoned for his earlier error with several stops to keep his team in contention. But Mali couldn’t find an equalizer, bowing out at the quarterfinal stage for the second straight AFCON.
For Senegal, the 2021 champions, the victory extends their impressive tournament run. They will now remain in Tangier to face either record-holders Egypt or defending champions Ivory Coast in what promises to be a heavyweight semifinal clash. For Mali, a campaign filled with red cards and untapped potential ends in familiar frustration.
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