- Senegal edge past 10-man Mali with a narrow 1–0 victory to secure a place in the AFCON 2025 semifinals in Morocco.
- Mali were reduced to ten men for the third time in the tournament after captain Yves Bissouma was shown a red card.
- Iliman Ndiaye scored the decisive goal that handed the Lions of Teranga a hard-fought win and a semifinal berth.
Mali were reduced to ten men for the third consecutive Africa Cup of Nations match as the tournament scrappers narrowly fell 1–0 to Senegal in the quarterfinals played on a rain-soaked pitch at the Grande Stade de Tanger on Friday evening.
The West African derby saw both sides compete on equal terms, despite Mali’s captain, Yves Bissouma, receiving a red card shortly after Iliman Ndiaye had secured Senegal’s decisive goal- the strike that sent them through to the semifinals of the AFCON 2025 in Morocco.
Senegal edge past 10-man Mali with a narrow 1–0 win
Mali began the match on the front foot, defying their underdog status by pressuring Senegal in the opening 10 minutes, giving the favorites genuine cause for concern early on.
The Eagles carved out a clear opportunity in the 23rd minute to take the lead. Lassine Sinayoko broke into space but stumbled at the crucial moment, allowing Kalidou Koulibaly to block his attempt.
Just before the half-hour mark, Mali would rue their missed chances as the Lions of Teranga struck first.
Following a fluid move from the right, Iliman Ndiaye found Krepin Diatta, whose low cross was mishandled by goalkeeper Djigui Diarra, spilling into the six-yard box for Ndiaye to tap home a priceless quarter-final lead.
Mali’s situation worsened just before halftime when their captain, Bissouma, was shown a second yellow and consequently a red for dissent toward the referee, marking the third straight match in which Mali suffered a dismissal.
Senegal entered the break with a slender advantage, now just minutes away from a semifinal berth.
Despite being a man down, Mali started the second half with the same intensity they showed early in the first, threatening through a powerful effort from Lassana Coulibaly that forced Edouard Mendy into action for Pape Thiaw’s side.
Senegal had another clear chance to double their lead in the 76th minute.
Pathe Ciss intercepted a loose defensive pass and found himself one-on-one, but Diarra redeemed his earlier error with a superb save, diving to his right to deny the substitute.
Although Mali pushed tirelessly for an equalizer to force extra time – including a brilliant late stops from Diarra, Tom Saintfiets resilient side saw their journey end without a single open-play victory in the tournament, finishing with four draws and a defeat in Morocco.
Meanwhile, Senegal, the 2021 champions, remain focused on reclaiming the title as they prepare for the semifinals.
Mali vs Senegal Lineups – AFCON 2025 Quarterfinals
- Mali: Djigui Diarra, Hamari Traore, Abdoulaye Diaby, Ousmane Camara, Nathan Gassama, Aliou Dieng, Yves Bissouma, Lassana Coulibaly, Amadou Haidara, Lassine Sinayoko, Mamadou Sangare.
- Senegal: Edouard Mendy, Krepin Diatta, Kalidou Koulibaly, Moussa Niakhate, Malick Diouf, Habib Diarra, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Pape Gueye, Iliman Ndiaye, Habibou Mouhamadou Diallo, Sadio Mane.