Mali power past Burkina Faso to reach TotalEnergies U-17 AFCON final
Mali booked their place in the final of the TotalEnergies CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations with a commanding 2-0 win over Burkina Faso in Tuesday's semi-final in Casablanca.
A goal in each half was enough to send the young Eagles through to Saturday's championship match, where they will face the winner of the second semi-final between hosts Morocco and Côte d'Ivoire, to be played later on Tuesday.
Mali opened the scoring in the 42nd minute through Soumaila Fané, who rifled home a powerful shot from outside the box into the top corner, giving Burkina Faso goalkeeper no chance.
Despite a spirited response from the Stallions, Mali doubled their lead midway through the second half. Mahamadou Traoré rose highest to meet Fané's pinpoint cross in the 74th minute, nodding home to put the result beyond doubt.
The match at Stade Larbi Zaouli was intense and physical, with Burkina Faso battling hard but ultimately unable to breach Mali's well-drilled defence.
The Baby Stallions created several chances, including a close-range header from Halidou Diakité that sailed over the bar, but they lacked the clinical edge in front of goal.
Burkina Faso ended the match with nine men after both Ali Koné and Alassana Bagayogo received second yellow cards in the second half, further compounding their frustration.
Mali, meanwhile, showed maturity and tactical discipline throughout the contest, controlling key moments and managing the game with composure in the closing stages.
With this result, Mali will return to the final of the U-17 AFCON for the first time since 2017, when they won the title. The West Africans now stand just one match away from reclaiming continental glory.
Burkina Faso will face the loser of the second semi-final in the third-place playoff, also scheduled for Saturday.
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