AFCON: Mali Advance To Q-Finals, Face Hosts Cote D’Ivoire For Semi-Final Ticket
LASSINE Sinayoko scored his third goal at the Africa Cup of Nations as Mali reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 2013 by beating Burkina Faso 2-1 on Tuesday.
An early Edmond Tapsoba’s own goal got Mali off to a great start in the 1ast 16 tie and Auxerre’s Sinayoko doubled the lead just after half-time.
Bertrand Traore reduced arrears from a penalty for Burkina Faso, who had the ball in the net again only for Issoufou Dayo to be ruled offside.
Mali, who have had two first-round and two last-16 exits since finishing third 11 years ago, face hosts Cote D’Ivoire in Bouake on Saturday with a semi-final place on the line.
Premier League duo Yves Bissouma of Tottenham Hotspur and Dango Ouattara of Bournemouth both started on the bench for Mali and Burkina Faso respectively.
Mali made six changes from the side that fought a 0-0 draw with Namibia to top Group E, including a new four-man midfield.
Group D runners-up Burkina Faso changed four of the side beaten 2-0 by Angola with out-of-favour Aston Villa forward Traore the captain.
This was only the second Cup of Nations meeting between the West African neighbours with Mali winning a group match 3-1 in Tunisia 20 years ago.
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