South African fans saw their Nations Cup dream ended via penalties
EUROSPORT.COM
Mali beat hosts South Africa on penalties to qualify for the African Cup of Nations semi-finals after a 1-1 draw at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
The hosts started brilliantly and took a deserved lead through Tokelo Rantie, but he went off injured soon afterwards as Mali came back into it, levelling through talismanic captain Seydou Keita, reports Eurosport.
Neither side seemed overly concerned about finding a winner in the rest of normal time and extra time, meaning penalties were used to settle the contest.
And the pressure seemed to get to the home side, who missed four of their five penalties, with Mali netting all three of theirs.
A cagey opening quarter-hour saw South Africa control possession and Mali sit deep, with Mamadou Samassa their only forward outlet.
The match burst into life just before the quarter-hour when May Mahlangu headed wide from a good position, with the same player almost handing Rantie an opening goal but for fine goalkeeping by Soumbeila Diakite, preferred to the other Mamadou Samassa between the Mali posts.
Reneilwe Letsholonyane had been brought in by Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund, and he was a lively presence in midfield, beating two men to set up Rantie, who was denied by a fine Adama Tamboura block.
Mali were struggling to pass halfway, although when they did there was more than a hint of danger, Tamboura getting forward from left-back and almost swinging a cross-shot in past Itumeleng Kune.
But the home side had been by far the more positive and deserved their opener just after the half hour.
It had come from a Mali free-kick, with a rapid counter attack seeing Thuso Pala’s driving run wreak havoc in a backtracking defence: he found Rantie unmarked, the Malmo striker ramming home an easy finish.
Rantie’s match did not last much longer though, a thigh injury cutting his evening short as Mali improved going into half-time: there were chances for Samassa, Samba Sow and Sigamary Diarra, but some good blocks by Bongani Khumalo and Dean Furman kept South Africa’s noses in front.
Rantie’s injury had a game-changing impact, it seemed, as Mali retained the momentum into the second half, starting promisingly as they put the pressure on South Africa.