Holders Mali qualify as Guinea, Senegal battle for last spot

Mali will be in Madagascar come next year to defend their title at the 12 th edition of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations. ‘Les Aiglonnets’ beat Ethiopia 2-1 on Sunday away in Addis Ababa to complete a double and advance 4-1 on aggregate.

The hosts were trailing 2-0 from the first leg in Bamako and were on the wrong foot from the onset after conceding just four minutes into the game. Malian Sibiry Keita, who was a headache for the Ethiopian backline, capitalized on a defensive blunder to slot home from close range.

The visitors continued to dominate and were almost rewarded with second goal seven minutes later but Keita’s low drive could only find the side netting.

The Red Foxes failed to make any meaningful attempt on goal for the majority of the first half. Ethiopia goalkeeper Ogan Omenga was to his side’s rescue with a brilliant save from Keita’s close range shot three minutes before the half-hour mark.

The homers’ best chance came in the dying moments of the first half when Mali shot stopper Youssouf Koita saw his save hit the crossbar before Ethiopian winger Kalkidan Zelalem failed to convert the rebound.

Ethiopia pushed forward to get a goal after recess but were denied by Koita again. The Malian goalie parried away Jafar Mudesir’s headed effort from a corner.  

The equalizer finally came on 72 minutes through Fasil Abebayehu, who replaced Mohamed Yusef just before the break. Abebayehu was left unmarked and he finished off a cross from the right.

The goal served a catalyst for Ethiopia to deploy an offensive tactic, nevertheless the Malians caught the Ethiopian defence napping on fast break on the stroke of full time to snatch victory and seal …

continue reading in source www.cafonline.com