Senegal secured their place in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals after defeating Mali 1-0 in the quarter-final match held at the Grand Stade de Tanger.
The match was exciting from the start, particularly when the referee initially awarded Mali a penalty after a foul by Kalidou Koulibaly, but overturned the decision after consulting VAR.
In the 27th minute, Eliamin Ndiaye scored Senegal’s first goal, capitalizing on a glaring error by the Malian goalkeeper, who failed to hold onto a low cross, allowing Ndiaye to easily slot the ball into the net.
المنتخب السنغالي يفتتح التسجيل عن طريق إليمان نداي ⚽️🇸🇳#كأس_أمم_إفريقيا | #مالي_السنغال pic.twitter.com/l9IiDAqowN
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In the final minute of the first half, Yves Bissouma received a red card, making things even more difficult for Mali. Despite numerous attempts to equalize, they were thwarted by the brilliance of Edouard Mendy and the strength of the Senegalese defense.
Senegal became the first team to qualify for the semi-finals, awaiting the winner of the classic Africa Cup of Nations clash between Egypt and Ivory Coast, scheduled for Saturday at the Adrar Stadium in Agadir.
It’s worth noting that Senegal won the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations after defeating Egypt on penalties, and before that, they lost the 2019 title to Algeria on penalties. Ivory Coast’s last appearance in the tournament, in 2024, saw them eliminated in the quarter-finals by the host nation, Egypt, also on penalties.
