Mali approaches the World Cup finals for the first time

Sports Writing, Nov. 11 (EFE). Mali is approaching, for the first time in its history, the final stage of the World Cup after qualifying for the third and final preliminary round for the African region after its victory over Rwanda. (0-3).

The Malian team secured first place in Group E as the round ended, joining Senegal and Morocco who had already secured a pass to the next round beforehand.

The leaders in each of the ten groups in this second phase will make up the five matches, home and away, from which the five representatives of African football in Qatar 2022 will emerge.

Benin, who beat Madagascar (2-0) and South Africa, who beat Zimbabwe (1-0) fell one step away from the goal they still had to ratify in the last round.

Mali, trained by Mohamed Magsouba, took advantage of the inferiority of its rival. Rwanda had only one less player left in the seventh minute after Jihad Bizimana was sent off. Everything was easier for the Malian side, who opened the scoring in the 19th with a goal from Southampton’s Moussa Djenepo. A minute later, Ibrahima Kone increased the rent and three from the end, Nantes footballer Kalifa Koulibaly was sentenced to the crash.

Mali, with one match remaining, outperformed Uganda by four points, which was unable to beat Kenya (1-1) at Mandela National Stadium, as it left its options and fell through the World Cup.

South Africa beat Zimbabwe (1-0) with a goal from Tiboho Mukwena and were one step away from the third stage in which they are competing with Ghana, who could not win with Ethiopia (1-1). The Ghanaian team advanced with a goal by Andre Ayew, but the hosts tied for a quarter of an hour from the end thanks to Gitaneh Kebede.

The fate of Group G is still in the hands of the last and final duel between Ghana and South Africa, next Sunday. Now South Africa leads Ghana by three points.

Benin is also on the verge of classification after its victory over Madagascar (2-0) with the goal of French Clermont players Yodel Dosseau and Steve Mooney of Brest.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, two points behind the standings, is led by Hector Cuper who scored a clear victory in Tanzania (0-3). Lens player Gael Kakuta put the win on track that Nathan Vasica and Ben Malango later secured.

Senegal, who had already secured a place in the third stage, lost their first points although they avoided defeat in extra time with the goal of Habib Diallo, of Strasbourg, who equalized the advantage they had at the start with Togo (1-1) with. Both are from Richard Nani. And in the other Group H match, which has already been judged, Congo and Namibia tied for one. EFE

apa / asc