Senegal sealed a hard-fought place in the semi-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 after grinding out a narrow 1–0 victory over Mali in a pulsating quarter-final encounter at the Grand Stade de Tanger on Friday night.
In a tightly contested West African derby marked by intensity and tactical discipline, the 2021 champions displayed maturity and composure to overcome stubborn opposition, even as clear-cut chances proved scarce.
Both sides battled fiercely in midfield, but Senegal’s ability to capitalise on a decisive moment ultimately made the difference.
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The breakthrough arrived in the 27th minute when Iliman Ndiaye pounced on a costly error by Malian goalkeeper Djigui Diarra. The loose ball fell invitingly inside the box, and the Senegal forward reacted quickest, calmly steering his finish home to hand his side a crucial advantage.
Mali’s challenge suffered a major setback deep into first-half stoppage time when captain Yves Bissouma was shown a second yellow card, reducing the Eagles to ten men for the entirety of the second half. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Mali reorganised admirably under coach Tom Saintfiet and continued to push for an equaliser with determination and resilience.
After the break, Senegal controlled possession and dictated the rhythm of the match, patiently probing for a second goal. Mali, however, refused to fold and were kept in the contest by an outstanding performance from Diarra, who made a series of impressive saves to deny Senegal further goals and keep the scoreline tight.
As the match wore on, Senegal managed proceedings with calm authority, limiting Mali’s attacking opportunities and seeing out the contest with professionalism to confirm their place in the last four. Mali bowed out of the tournament with pride after a spirited campaign that earned widespread respect.
Senegal will now turn their attention to a blockbuster semi-final showdown against the winner of Saturday’s quarter-final between record champions Egypt and defending holders Côte d’Ivoire.