You’ll have to go back to 2013 for the last time Mali made their way past the Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16, a startling record that was put to bed late Tuesday evening when The Eagles emerged 2-1 winners over the finalists in that edition – Burkina Faso – in a sibling matchup at Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium in Korhogo, Ivory Coast.𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐃! ✅The Eagles are through to the #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 quarter-finals! 🇲🇱 pic.twitter.com/8DHfCS0Iju— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 30, 2024 The Stallions – aptly put that they lacked enough horsepower in this fixture – will look back to the lapses in concentration at the start of either half as the reason they are out of a competition they have made four semifinals, as they fell behind early to an Edmond Tapsoba own goal and a Lassine Sinayoko strike (all under three minutes to the beginning of the first and second half respectively) and only labored late on to get back after Bertrand Traore had concerted his spot-kick with half an hour to go.⌚️ FULL-TIME! The Eagles grab the win from Burkina Faso! 🔥#MLIBFA | #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/VSHB9kpoxw— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 30, 2024 With the win, Mali, who now look to be on the bright side of the draw, face hosts Ivory Coast in Saturday’s quarterfinals.##NAJAVA_MECA_7837823##Match ReportNo sooner had the game began than Burkina Faso showed their ill-preparedness for this brotherly rivalry, or Mali showed their ability to pounce early on when Amadou Haidara – in the second minute – connected a strong header from Hamari Traore onto the post before Tapsoba, in a bid to play back to his goalkeeper, saw the ball loop over and kiss the net.🚨🚨| GOAL: MALI HAVE TAKEN THE LEAD AGAINST BURKINA FASO!Mali 1-0 Burkina Faso pic.twitter.com/o5Ch3nUDm7— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) January 30, 2024 Haidara wheeled off in celebration as Burkina Faso’s men – and specifically poor Tapsoba – looked in shock, laced with their surprising start in the game.That state would only present the theme of their play in the half, as they looked second best to almost every key move on the field, and were fortunate to see Haidara blaze another chance after 13 minutes.Kamory Doumbia was the next man to go close after 23 minutes only to be flagged offside, and that was quickly followed by a Lassine Sinayoko snapshot from the left that Hervé Koffi repelled.Espirito Santo’s win-lose situation after last night’s AFCON thrillerChance after chance for Mali – the latest of a string being from Doumbia shooting wide right – could only be matched by an offside call for Burkina Faso as Abdoul Tapsoba came close with a header from Issa Kabore in the 38th minute.That was the only chance close to troubling Djigui Diarra that The Stallions made in the first half, and as both teams headed off at the break, Hubert Velud stuck in his technical area deliberating changes to their below-par showing.All thoughts seemingly close to a shift in how Burkina Faso – who made two changes at the half bringing on Cédric Badolo and Adamo Nagalo for Steeve Yago and Abdoul Tapsoba – were immediately flushed just two minutes removed from the break when Hamari Traoré fed Sinayoko free on the right hand side to slide in the ball past Koffi for the second.🚨🚨| GOAL: Lassine Sinayoko doubles the lead!!Mali 2-0 Burkina Faso pic.twitter.com/gBsMjPHFdo— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) January 30, 2024 So easy was the goal that the match commentator compared the finish to ‘Sunday dinner’ and it was evidence of how slow Velud’s men looked in the beginning of either halves.With a mountain to climb here, The Stallions were going to take any opportunity to get back into the tie and so did it land on their plate when Issa Kabore’s cross from the left came off Boubacar Kouyate’s lower arm, with the referee having a look at VAR before confirming the good news of hope for Burkinabe.And who else to call up to?🚨🚨| GOAL: Bertrand Traore converts the penalty!Mali 2-1 Burkina Faso pic.twitter.com/zn2Um3T1cW— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) January 30, 2024 Aston Villa’s Bertrand Traore was made for these opportunities – having scored twice against Mauritania and Algeria in the group stages from the same spot – as he applied a left foot to send Diarra in the opposite direction.Under the intense atmosphere, the tie looked to gather steam; characterized by wild Doumbia attempts that went way over and the two goalscorers Haidara and Traore clashing heads.Doumbia went close with a shot straight to Koffi, even as Mali made three changes bringing on Diabate, Koita and Samassekou for the last quarter of the game.And as this edition’s AFCON keeps on doing, the more the minutes ticked, the more closer to a crazy finish looked, and it almost did as the clock hit 90 when Burkina Faso thought they had equalized. Issoufou Dayo sprung forward to connect his header off a freekick just yards out of the box into the bottom right corner, but he was adjudged to have mistimed his run, setting up room for a frenzy eight minutes of added time.Mali would’ve seen a comeback strip and trip from Burkina Faso if Dayo wasn’t on offside position.#MLIBFA #AFCON2023 #AFCON2024 #PoojaXAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/0yb7f4xvPz— Pragmatic Tipz (@Pragmatictipz) January 30, 2024 That, at the end, was no reprieve for them, as the Eagles look set for a deep run!AFCON 2023 – LAST 16SaturdayAngola – Namibia 3-0 (2-0)/Dala 38, 43 Mabululu 66/Nigeria – Cameroon 1-0 (0-0)/Lookman 36/SundayEquatorial Guinea – Guinea 0-1 (0-0)/Bayo 90+8/Egypt – Dr Congo 1-1 (1-1) penalties /Mohamed (p) 45+1 – Elia 37/MondayCape Verde – Mauritania 1-0 (0-0)/Mendes (p) 86/Senegal – Ivory Coast 1-0 (1-0)/Diallo 4/TuesdayMali – Burkina Faso 2-1 (1-0)/E. Tapsoba (OG) 3, Sinayoko 47 – B. Traore (p) 57/23:00: (1.62) Morocco (3.50) S.Africa (6.50)***odds are subject to change***
