Winning by the narrowest of margins, Senegal booked their place in the semifinals and now await the winner of the clash between Egypt and Ivory Coast.
- Mali 0-1 Sénégal : Ndiaye 27’
Relocated to Morocco and played in the brand-new Tangier Stadium, this match felt like WrestleMania: stained jerseys, bodies battered by effort, a Senegal side still standing strong, and a Mali team finally collapsing after its miracle win over Tunisia in Casablanca — and especially after being reduced to ten men. The wrestling analogy is fitting, as the contest was brutal, physical, and short on flowing football.
As the intensity rose, Yves Bissouma seemed to take head coach Tom Saintfiet’s instructions a bit too literally. Already booked in the 23rd minute, the Tottenham midfielder left his teammates down to ten men after a needless foul in midfield. A fitting end to a disastrous tournament and a winless season for the former Brighton player.
Against a side far more accomplished than Tunisia, Mali paid heavily for the dismissal. Senegal grew increasingly dangerous toward the end of the first half. While he was unable to anticipate Diatta’s cross that allowed Ndiaye to score his first goal of the tournament, Mali’s goalkeeper proved decisive after the break, keeping the Eagles within touching distance of what would have been an unlikely comeback.
But Mali offered too little going forward, with only brief flashes from Néné Dorgeles providing any real threat. Far too cautious, locked into a system built around five defensive midfielders, Mali never truly expressed their full potential. The Eagles exit the tournament full of regret, eliminated without a single victory.