Senegal booked their place in the semi-finals of the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Mali in Tangiers on Friday. The decisive moment came from recalled striker Iliman Ndiaye, whose first-half goal proved enough to see the Teranga Lions through.
Early Drama and a Costly Error
The match in Tangiers saw drama from the outset. Just three minutes in, Mali's Lassine Sinayoko went down in the Senegal penalty area under a challenge from returning captain Kalidou Koulibaly. The referee immediately waved away the appeals, and a swift VAR check confirmed the decision, with replays showing Sinayoko had dived.
Senegal grew into the game and broke the deadlock after 27 minutes on a cold, cloudy evening. The goal originated from a Krepin Diatta cross that should have been comfortably gathered by Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra. However, in a moment he will want to forget, Diarra let the ball slip under his body, presenting it to the alert Iliman Ndiaye, who fired the loose ball into the net.
Mali's Hopes Dented by Red Card
Mali's task became significantly harder deep into first-half stoppage time. Their captain, Yves Bissouma, received his second yellow card for a foul on Idrissa Gueye in midfield and was sent off. This marked another knockout match where Mali finished with ten men. The VAR officials saw no reason to overturn the referee's decision.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Mali showed tremendous spirit after the break, mirroring their performance against Tunisia in the previous round. They came agonisingly close to an equaliser on 55 minutes when Abdoulaye Diaby's close-range effort from a free-kick was superbly pushed away by Senegal's goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy.
Goalkeeping Heroics at Both Ends
The final stages of the match became a tale of two goalkeepers. Mali's Djigui Diarra, seeking redemption for his earlier error, produced a string of outstanding saves to keep his team in contention. At the other end, Edouard Mendy's crucial stop preserved Senegal's slender lead.
Even during seven minutes of added time, Diarra continued to deny Senegal, blocking efforts from Pathe Ciss and Lamine Camara. However, Senegal's defence held firm to secure the victory and a spot in the last four.
This was only the second AFCON meeting between the two West African nations, with the first ending in a draw during the 2004 group stage. Senegal will now face the winner of Saturday's quarter-final between defending champions Ivory Coast and record seven-time winners Egypt.
