Recalled Ndiaye takes Senegal past 10-man Mali into AFCON semis

Recalled striker Iliman Ndiaye successfully fired Senegal into the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over ten-man Mali. The decisive moment arrived in the twenty-seventh minute following a significant error by goalkeeper Djigui Diarra. He unfortunately allowed a Krepin Diarra cross to slip underneath his body, enabling Ndiaye to tap home the loose ball.

Mali’s aspirations suffered a fatal blow shortly before halftime when captain Yves Bissouma received a red card dismissal after a second booking for fouling Idrissa Gueye. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Mali displayed tremendous spirit. Abdoulaye Diaby forced a sharp reflex save from Edouard Mendy, while Diarra atoned for his earlier mistake with a string of brilliant stops to deny Senegal further goals. Senegal now await either champions Ivory Coast or Egypt, continuing their determined title defense campaign after this truly intense contest on a cold evening in the Mediterranean city of Tangiers.