Eagles of Mali Peck Bafana Bafana of South Africa 2-0 in AFCON Group E Disaster Results

By Eniola Olatunji 

…Tunisia had lost 0-1 to Namibia in the Group.

The Eagles of Mali on Tuesday flew past the Bafana Bafana of South Africa 2-0 in Group E match and the flight caused the Mandela boys a dip in the pit.

South Africa got an opportunity to lead via penalty in the first half as a Malian defender elbowed a South African player but Al Ahly attacker Percy Tau blew it off. Instead of South Africans to adjust tactically they kept posting queries why the Ref did not accompany the penalty award with a red card for Mali.

While the South African question was still circulating, Mali Captain and Real Sociedad player, ace Defender Hamani Traore got the curtain raiser in the 60th minute from set pieces sent accurately into the box.

Auxerre FC player, Lassine Sinayoko pounced on a rebound from the horizontal bar to score in 66th minute.

The result creates complications for Tunisia and South Africa because in the second round matches, Tunisia will meet never say die Mali on Saturday 20th January which is a must win match before going to meet another rock solid team in South Africa in their last group match. South Africa will face Namibia the new giant killers on Sunday 21st January at 9pm.

Right now, Eagles of Mali leads Group E with 2 goals and 3 point; Namibia is second with a goal and 3 points; Tunisia is 3rd with no point and minus one goal while South Africa stands at the bottom with minus 2 goals and no point.

Mali and South Africa met thrice. Both played 1-1 in an AFCON match on 2nd February 2013; played another 1-1 in an African Nations Championship duel on 15th January 2014 and in a friendly played on 13th October 2019 South Africa won 2-1.

Mali ranked 51 with 13 appearances has played 53 matches of the AFCON games without winning the trophy on their preparation played 1-1 with Uganda on 13th October 2023 in a friendly; in another friendly played on 17th October 2023 Mali beat Saudi 3-1; also beat Chad 3-1 in a world cup match of 17th November 2023; got 1-1 draw against CAR in a world cup 20th November 2023; and on 6th January 2024 Mali thrashed Guinea Bissau 6-2 in a friendly.

The Best of Mali was being Runners up in 1972. She lost to PR Congo 2-3; at Tunisia 94 she placed 4th losing to Ivory Coast 1-3; she hosted in 2002 and lost the Bronze to Nigeria by a lone goal; it was Nigeria again that stopped the nation from winning the Bronze at Tunisia 2004 3-1 it was; but Mali beat Ghana 2-0 to win the Bronze when Nigeria and Ghana hosted in 2012; their last effort at the podium was 2013 when she won the Bronze 3-1 over Ghana in South Africa.

South Africa ranked 66 in the world is making her 12th appearance and in her preparation played goalless with Eswatini in a friendly on 13th October 2023; drew 1-1 with Ivory Coast in another friendly on 17th October 2023; Benin Republic got a 2-1 bashing in a world cup match on 18th November 2023; lost 0-2 to Rwanda in a world cup duel on 21st November 2023 and on 10th January 2024 it was goalless with Lesotho.

In 1996 South Africa hosted and won 2-0 over Tunisia; she won Silver in 1998 at Burkina Faso losing to Egypt 0-2; South Africa won the Bronze at the Nigeria/Ghana hosting of 2000 beating Tunisia on penalties 4-3 after 2-2 at full time and South Africa hosted in 2013 failing to win a medal.

Tomorrow Wednesday 17th January 2024 two matches of Group F will be played. Morocco versus Taifa Stars of Tanzania is at 6pm and DR Congo will slug it out with Zambia at 9pm. That encounter will end first round matches at AFCON.

Two star matches are coming up on Thursday. Ivory Coast battle Nigeria at 6pm in group A while the clash between Egypt and Ghana at 9pm in Group B will be explosive. But then Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau will fight for supremacy in Group A at 3pm.