Iliman Ndiaye’s first-half strike proved decisive on a tense AFCON night that saw Mali reduced to ten men just before the break.
The breakthrough arrived in the 27th minute when Ndiaye finished calmly to put Senegal ahead, capping a bright spell of pressure from Aliou Cissé’s side.
Senegal dominated the tempo and possession, moving the ball with confidence and forcing Mali onto the back foot for long stretches. Their task was eased in first-half stoppage time when Mali midfielder Yves Bissouma was sent off after picking up a second yellow card, leaving his team to battle the remainder of the game a man down.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Mali showed resilience after the interval and attempted to claw their way back into the match. A series of substitutions injected energy into their play, but clear chances were hard to come by against a disciplined Senegal defense marshalled by Kalidou Koulibaly.
Senegal, for their part, created several openings and finished the match with 18 shots, nine of which tested the goalkeeper.
The closing stages were scrappy, with a flurry of bookings reflecting the intensity of the contest, but Senegal held firm to see out the win.
The result confirms Senegal’s place in the semi-finals, where they will face the winner of the quarter-final tie between Egypt and the Ivory Coast. That clash is scheduled for Saturday, January 10, at 8 pm, with Senegal’s semi-final appearance set for Wednesday, January 14.
https://www.naijanews.com/2026/01/09/senegal-beat-10-man-mali-to-book-semi-final-ticket-at-afcon-2025/