Africa Cup of Nations - Group E
MaliMali4MauritaniaMauritania1

Africa Cup of Nations 2019: Mali cruise past Mauritania in Group E

Moussa Marega, Mali
Moussa Marega's penalty late in the first half gave Mali a 2-0 lead

Mali produced a dominant display to beat tournament debutants Mauritania at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Abdoulay Diaby drilled a powerful effort into the top corner from 25 yards to give the Eagles the lead.

A Moussa Marega penalty and a strike from Monaco's Adama Traore increased Mali's advantage, before Moctar Sidi El Hacen pulled a goal back from the spot.

Metz's Adama Traore, on for his namesake, completed the scoring, curling in from the edge of the box.

Mauritania, taking part in the tournament for the first time in their history, started brightly in Suez but the result was rarely in doubt after Diaby's sublime opener.

The minnows take on Angola in their next Group E game on Saturday (15:30 BST kick-off), while Mali face Tunisia on Friday (15:30 BST).

Analysis

BBC Arabic's Mohamed Qoutb

Mauritania fans experienced a historic moment as they heard the national anthem of their country played for the first time in Africa Cup of Nations history, but what happened on the pitch was not quite so enjoyable for them.

Mali's performance showed they are set to pose a threat to Tunisia's supposed dominance in this group, while Mauritania definitely need to loosen up and play with less pressure in the next match against Angola if they want to retain hope of an unlikely place in the knockout stages.

Line-ups

Mali

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 16Diarra
  • 2Traoré
  • 13Wagué
  • 15FofanaBooked at 71mins
  • 3Kone
  • 8Samassekou
  • 11Coulibaly
  • 23DiabySubstituted forHaidaraat 87'minutes
  • 21TraoréSubstituted forTraoréat 61'minutes
  • 19DjenepoBooked at 31minsSubstituted forDoumbiaat 61'minutes
  • 9Marega

Substitutes

  • 1Mounkoro
  • 4Haidara
  • 5Kouyate
  • 6Haidara
  • 7Doumbia
  • 10Coulibaly
  • 12Koita
  • 14Traoré
  • 17Sacko
  • 18Doucoure
  • 20Niane
  • 22Keita

Mauritania

Formation 4-1-2-1-2

  • 1SouleymaneBooked at 79mins
  • 4Abou DembaSubstituted forDiawat 53'minutesBooked at 84mins
  • 15N´DiayeBooked at 19mins
  • 5Ba
  • 3Abeid
  • 14Yali
  • 19CoulibalySubstituted forMoulaye Ahmedat 45'minutes
  • 6CamaraSubstituted forGayeat 82'minutes
  • 18El Hacen
  • 10Ba
  • 7Diakite

Substitutes

  • 2Diaw
  • 8Guidileye
  • 9Tanjy
  • 11Moulaye Ahmed
  • 12Diop
  • 13Sarr
  • 16Diaw
  • 17Anne
  • 20Thiam
  • 21Diadié
  • 22Diop
  • 23Gaye
Referee:
Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo
Attendance:
6,202

Match Stats

Home TeamMaliAway TeamMauritania
Possession
Home53%
Away47%
Shots
Home19
Away7
Shots on Target
Home9
Away1
Corners
Home5
Away7
Fouls
Home15
Away14

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Mali 4, Mauritania 1.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Mali 4, Mauritania 1.

  3. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Hamari Traoré (Mali) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Moussa Doumbia.

  4. Post update

    Corner, Mauritania. Conceded by Mamadou Fofana.

  5. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Ismael Diakite (Mauritania) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.

  6. Post update

    Corner, Mauritania. Conceded by Molla Wagué.

  7. Post update

    Corner, Mauritania. Conceded by Diadie Samassekou.

  8. Post update

    Corner, Mauritania. Conceded by Mamadou Fofana.

  9. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Abdoulaye Gaye (Mauritania) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

  10. Post update

    Foul by Hamari Traoré (Mali).

  11. Post update

    Bessam (Mauritania) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  12. Post update

    Attempt missed. Mohamed Dellahi Yali (Mauritania) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Bessam.

  13. Substitution

    Substitution, Mali. Amadou Haidara replaces Abdoulaye Diaby.

  14. Post update

    Moussa Doumbia (Mali) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Bakary N´Diaye (Mauritania).

  16. Post update

    Foul by Abdoulaye Diaby (Mali).

  17. Post update

    Bakary N´Diaye (Mauritania) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  18. Booking

    Moustapha Diaw (Mauritania) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  19. Post update

    Moussa Doumbia (Mali) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  20. Post update

    Foul by Moustapha Diaw (Mauritania).

As It Stood

A

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Uganda11002023
2Egypt11001013
3Zimbabwe100101-10
4DR Congo100102-20

B

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Nigeria11001013
2Guinea10102201
3Madagascar10102201
4Burundi100101-10

C

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Algeria11002023
2Senegal11002023
3Kenya100102-20
4Tanzania100102-20

D

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Ivory Coast11001013
2Morocco11001013
3Namibia100101-10
4South Africa100101-10

E

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Mali11004133
2Angola10101101
3Tunisia10101101
4Mauritania100114-30

F

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Benin00000000
2Cameroon00000000
3Ghana00000000
4Guinea-Bissau00000000
View full Africa Cup of Nations tables

Elsewhere on the BBC