Mali defeated the Flying Eagles of Nigeria 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time in their semi-final match of the 2019 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations at the Stade General Seyni Kountche on Wednesday, reports Completesports.com.
El Bilal Toure scored the decisive spot-kick after Aniekeme Okon missed his kick for Nigeria.
It’s the first time Mali have reached the final of the competition.
The win for Jounior Mena of Mali avenged their loss to the Flying Eagles also on penalties at the U-20 WAFU Cup tournament in Lome, Togo last December,
Mamadou Traore scored the opener for Mali in the 78th minute of the encounter. The goal was Traore’s second of the tournament.
Substitute Paschal Durugbor drew Nigeria level with five minutes left to play.
Paul Aigbogun’s side started the encounter with more purpose forcing the Malians into defending in the opening stages of the game.
Also Read: U-20 AFCON: Nigeria Pip Niger To Book Semis, World Cup Tickets
Nasifi Yahaya crashed the crossbar in the sixth minute after latching on to a neat pass from the edge of the box.
Koita Youssouf also made a brilliant save to deny Ibrahim Abubakar eight minutes later.
Mali had a glorious chance to break the deadlock three minutes into the second half but Olawale Oremade came off his line hurriedly to deny Sekou Koita.
With no goal scored after an hour, Aigbogun brought on Paschal Durugbor for Yahaya and Maxwell Effiom for Ibrahim Abubakar but the pair could only do little.
Ibrahim Alhassan tried his luck from distance in the 70th minute but his shot went inches wide.
During the shootout, Ikuowen Udoh, Mohammed Jamil, Effiong Maxwell all converted their kicks for the Flying Eagles, while Valentine Ozornwafor and Aniekeme Okon missed theirs.
For Mali, Lassana N’Diaye, Hassan Traore, Abdoulaye Diaby and El Bilal Toure all scored, while Boubacar Traore missed.
The seven time winners of the U20 AFCON, the Flying Eagles will face the loser of the second clash between South Africa and Senegal in the Third Place match on Sunday in Niamey.
By Johnny Edward
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COMMENTS
Am shocked.
Senegal is taking the trophy home they’re the true giant of Africa I stand to be corrected.
There is a bitter taste in my mouth…
Please don’t tell me they lost because they were too old. The Super Eagles didn’t do well at the World Cup because it is a “young team”, and the Flying Eagles have failed because they are too old. Excuses, excuses.
Hope I feel better in the morning.
Hahaha Mr Rohr
THE TEAM FAILED BECAUSE OF THE FOLLWING
The team lost owing to lack of talents in the team.
The coach is a bad leader.
The players were selected based on religious influence.
The players were picked based on corrupt grounds of who no who.
The players are illiterate.
The players have spiritual foundational problems of not learning from their past.
NFF have management problems.
National teams have been politicised in expense of Nigerians happiness.
Rubbish tournament, old old players full every where
Ndi ara.mad players.lazy fools.those criple eagles are idiots with their coach.no paterns no game plans,
And Rangers of Enugu just proved me wrong same as Lobi I then wonder if they can fight why then have they been sleeping against North Africans?
@ chima, enwere mgbe enu bu ana osa, when Mehala FC came to Enugu and saw wahala.
Those good old days.
Hope many of you won’t be shocked in this year Afcon in Egypt. This should be a warning to Super Eagles team. Hope you are all watching ooo?
The coach believes he have taken his best team to the tournament but today he have realized that he still has a lot to put in place. This is a bitter truth which Nigerians hates to heard lol. We still have APC and PDP spirits in the system though “corruptions” our U-20 AFCON team indeed but only God can help our Country.
A word is enough for the wise. Shine your eyes before it is too late. The only thing we really good at is back biting. Bla bla bla. looking at other people mistakes. Time will tell. Fingers crossed. God bless Nigeria!!!
Wetin dis one dey talk….???
What the hell are you talking about!
This was never Nigeria selection this’ was Dikko and Makabas selection.No game plan , no creative midfielders, this coach needs to inject serious players into this team. Sentiment and tribalism don’t win matches. Pick the best available legs.
This flying eagles are the worst so far. And how did NFF appoint this type of coach. The team has no flair, no pattern, can’t put two or three passes together. Players play without sense. No good crosser of the ball, kick and follow without purpose or direction. What has this coach been doing with the boys in camp. You want to tell me in the whole of this country, home and abroad these are the best u 20 boys we can boast of. Na wa for this countryooo. Wonders will never end. Corruption in appointing a bad coach and corruption in picking players. This coach has failed twice now, at the WAFU u 20 tournament and now at the CAF u 20 tournmanent. I am not expecting anything from this team at the world cup with this coach in charge. Nothing.
I said this earlier that there was something fishing about this team with the exception of a few players. Everything about them is questionable. The coach and the entire team need to be overhauled A$AP.
They are not the worst we have seen woser teams handled by Ladan Bosso this is just one of the most boring team good play but zero end results.
@ Chima, Ladan Bosso’s team was a disgrace. I think that man was the worst coach at any level to ever coach any of our national team.
Just when we are asking for home based coaches n players in our national teams, teams like this u-20 just give u reason why we will only be digging the grave of nigeria football if we do.Worst team ever. Even I at over 40yrs, I play better than all of them. I will not watch this team play unless something drastic is done.