Mali’s road to 2019 U-20 AFCON Glory

How did Mali make U-20 AFCON their tournament?

Mali’s claimed continental glory in the U-20 AFCON finals against Senegal, beating the Senegalese (3-2) on penalties. The road to victory was modest but nonetheless entertaining and well orchestrated. This is how they became the champions of Africa!

Mohamed Diallo of Mali in action during the FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015 Round of 16 match between Ghana and Mali at Wellington Regional Stadium on June 10, 2015 in Wellington, New Zealand.

(June 9, 2015 - Source: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images AsiaPac)

Road to the Finals

Senegal   v Mali

Senegal was the stronger of the two teams in the encounter, dismissing Mali 2-0.  Mali’s opener fell short of the team’s potential; they failed to create chances. The lack of defensive rigor in the match led to Senegal netting two late goals.

Mali   v Burkina Faso

Mali needed a win against Burkina Faso to keep them in the running for the title. A 52nd-minute goal from Mamadou Traore gave Mali a narrow 1-0 victory. Burkina Faso went on to lose 5-1 to Senegal, finishing last in group B.

Mali   v Ghana

The final group match for Mali was played at Stade General Seyni Kountche in Niamey. Mali humbled Ghana to a 1-0 defeat, to qualify for the semi-finals. Hadji Drame scored in the second-half, dashing Ghana’s hopes of qualifying for the U-20 FiFA World Cup.

Semi-Finals (Nigeria v Mali)

Mali’s battle against the Flying Eagles of Nigeria promised to be tightly contended. Nigeria won group A with seven points ahead of South Africa. The game was played to a 1:1 stalemate, taking the game to extra time and the dreaded penalties. Mali won the ensuing penalties (3-4) sending the Flying Eagles packing, setting up a final with three-time runner ups Senegal.

It was that simple yet, how Mali managed to upstage the seven other teams in this tournament might be elusive to some.

The secret behind Mali’s success

Defence tactics

The strategy of Mali’s head coach was to play a defensive game. This style of play worked for Mali when it was needed the most.  Although there are strong critics who argue that Mali’s play is too defensive, the national coach, Mamoutou Kané "Mourlé" found a strategy that delivered the championship.

Returning champions

Mali’s squad had eight players from the squad that won the U-17 AFCON in 2017. The dynamics of having more than two-thirds of experienced tournament winners who had already worked successfully as a team was an added advantage. A standout player who was part of the U17 AFCON winning team, Red Bull Salzburg forward Sekou Koita was the one of the more experienced in Mamoutou Kané’s squad.

Mali, along with Senegal, Nigeria and South Africa, will play in the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup finals in Poland, commencing on the 23rd of May all through to 15th of June. Mali has proven that they have what it takes to win tournaments on the continent, the challenge will be to replicate their success on the world stage. Fingers crossed they continue to make history.

Mali make crucial comeback as Ghana’s Black Queens suffer a shock defeat

AWCON is well underway and the tournament has so far lived up to the anticipation and hype. Here is a recap of Match Day 3: Group A fixtures

Mali vs Ghana

Patricia Mantey of Ghana lies injured on the pitch during the women's international friendly match between Germnay and Ghana at Benteler Arena on July 22, 2016 in Paderborn, Germany.

(July 21, 2016 - Source: Lars Baron/Bongarts)

The Mighty Black Queens suffered a shock defeat in their second group match at the hands of Mali on Tuesday Night. This after the Ghanaians had launched a solid AWCON campaign in the opening match by beating Algeria by 1-0. ‎Les Aiglonnes of Mali fell to Cameroon 2-1 in their first group stage encounter. Coming into the match with three points, Ghana were in a considerably more comfortable position and a win would have secured a place for the host nation in the semi finals.

Mali opened the scoring in the 22nd minute of the game after a penalty was awarded against Ghanaian goalie Patricia Mantey. Ghana struggled to come back from the one goal deficit  in the first half and for most of the second half until the 72nd minute when substitute Elizabeth Addo, affectionately called Ama Pele successfully converted the second penalty of the night. A defence mishap in the form of poor defending from goalie Patricia Mantey saw Mali back in front after Bassira Toure flipped the mistake in the favour of Mali. The final score was Ghana 1 -2 Mali. Bassira Toure was consquently awarded the player of the match award.

Mali head coach, Houssein Saloum made two changes to the starting XI that lost 2-1, bringing on Lala Dicko and Aissatou Diadhiou for Kani Konte and Bintou Koite. The tactical move paid off as ‎Les Aiglonnes were able to successfully hold back the Ghanaians.

Cameroon vs Algeria

Cameroon line up before the Women's Football first round Group E Match between Great Britain and Cameroon on Day 1 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Millennium Stadium on July 28, 2012 in Cardiff, Wales.

(July 27, 2012 - Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe)

Cameroon are on a winning streak as they beat Algeria on Tuesday night, a 3-0 showcase in which Les Lions Indomptables were unforgiving against the North Africans.The first goal came in the 13th minute from Gabrielle Aboudi Onguen after she mounted a solo effort that pitted her against Algerian keeper Kahina Takenint. Avaldsnes IL striker, Gaelle Enganamouit netted the second goal from an assist by Ajara Nchout who scored the third goal for Cameroon six minutes later.

Algeria have now lost back to back matches, rooted at the bottom of Group A standings while The Indomitable Lionesses who are still unbeaten after their two opening matches, lead the group with 6 points.

Group A matches will resume on Friday for the final match ups; Ghana vs Cameroon and Mali vs Algeria. After Tuesday’s loss, Ghana will have to mount a come back charge of their own to win their last group match on Friday against Cameroon in order to secure a semi final place. Cameroon will definitely pose a great challenge for the Black Queens with the match-up likely to be their toughest one yet.

Meanwhile, Zambia will take on Nigeria whereas South Africa go up against tournament late comers Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday night at 17:30 and 20:30 GMT respectively.

FT African Legends Series: The ultimate "markswoman", Portia Modise

As we draw closer towards the much anticipated 2018 Women's Africa Cup of Nations taking place in Ghana from the 17th of November to 1st of December, we celebrate some great legends of the game on the continent.

While the men’s South African team has been struggling to score goals. The women’s team, Banyana Banyana had a gem who used to score goals for fun in Portia Modise. Below we profile this unsung hero who knew what it meant to be a striker during her playing days.

blog, football, feature, Portia Modise, Arsenal Women’s team, Banyana Banyana, AWC,SAFA, CAF, Mali, Soweto, London Olympics

Background

Nicknamed “Bashin” after the football great Alfred “Bashin” Mahlangu, Portia was born in June 1983 in the famous township of Soweto in South Africa.

Contribution to the game

With a scoring prowess which was second to none, Portia Modise became the first African (amongst both men and women) to amass more than 100 international goals. Yes you read that right. She scored 102 goals in 119 appearances for Banyana Banyana in an unbelievable career which was filled with various accolades and achievements. Modise was named Player of the tournament at the Women African Championships held in 2006 for her stellar performances even though Banyana Banyana could only finish as first runner-ups. Moreover, “Bashin” was also part of the Banyana Banyana squad which represented South Africa at the 2012 London Olympic games.

Club Career

Professionally, Portia played for various South Africa teams including Soweto Ladies F.C where she scored 51 goals for the club . She also played for teams like Falcons F.C, and Croesus Ladies which were locally based teams. In 2007, Modise received an opportunity to play in Europe. She signed a two-year deal to play in Denmark for premier league team Fortuna Hjorring, before she returned to South Africa in 2009 to play for the Palace Super Falcons. Also worth noting is that back in 2003, Modise almost played for the Arsenal women’s football team, once upon a time in her glorious career. However, the move failed to materialize mainly due to finance and sponsorship details, despite Modise impressing the then Arsenal coach.

“With a scoring prowess which was second to none, “Bashin” became the first African (yes you read that right) to amass more than 100 international goals in 124 appearances. Such a record epitomized the true legend that she was in a male-dominated sport like football.”

— Siphosethu Thwala, FirstTouch Africa

International Career

Portia’s glimmering career was earmarked mainly by her amazing exploits at national team level. She began playing for Banyana Banyana back in 2000 aged 16. While playing for Banyana Banyana, she was instrumental in helping the team qualify for the 2008 African Women's Championship held in Equatorial Guinea. She also helped the team qualify for the 2012 London Olympic games where she scored the team’s only goal during the whole tournament. With a scoring prowess which was second to none, “Bashin” became the first African (yes you read that right) to amass more than 100 international goals in 124 appearances. Such a record epitomized the true legend that she was in a male-dominated sport like football. She finally hung her boots in 2015 after an illustrious career.

Career Accolades and Achievements

Portia Modise of South Africa celebrates scoring during the Women's Football first round Group F Match of the London 2012 Olympic Games between Sweden and South Africa, at City of Coventry Stadium on July 25, 2012 in Coventry, England.

(July 24, 2012 - Source: Sindy Thomas/Getty Images Europe) 

Portia’s amazing career was nothing short of achievements to back up her legendary status. For instance, Modise was nominated for the Women's FIFA World Player of the Year award back in 2005. She was also nominated for the 2006 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Women's Football of the Year award. Furthermore, Modise won the 2006 player of the year championship at the Women’s African Football Championship. She also went on to win the much coveted South African Sports Star award in the year 2014. What’s more, to close off a wonderful footballing career, “Bashin” was honoured by the South African Football Association (SAFA) after scoring her 100th goal for Banyana Banyana in the African Women’s Championship (AWC) in Namibia, 2014.

Women’s football still lags behind in coverage both in Africa and internationally, however those who did get the opportunity to see Modise in action will know that she had skill and inherent talent beyond that of many of her male counterparts. Not many have been able to mimic nor reach the class exuded by Portia Modise during her days. Nonetheless, the upcoming Women’s AFCON provides the appropriate platform for Africa and the rest of the world to see new talent that can take Women’s football by storm and reach the level  of Portia Modise. Will we see more of the Portia Modise, or was she one of a kind? You make the call.

FT African Legends Series: Salif Keita, a forgotten hero?

African football has much to thank for the legacy of a certain Salif Keita who played in Europe between 1967 and 1980. There is another famous person who goes by the name Salif Keita but he is an Afro-pop singer-songwriter from Mali. Our FirstTouch Legend Keita, is the uncle to the Seydou Keita who played for Barcelona recently. Let’s take you through the career of the goal scoring machine that earned our African Football Legendary status.

Background

Also known as ‘The Black Pearl of Bamako’, Salif Keita was born in Mali in December 1946. He moved to France in 1967 to pursue his career in soccer at AS Saint-Etienne where he won three Ligue 1 titles. Keita scored an astonishing 71 league goals in his two seasons at the club. He moved on to fellow Ligue 1 side Olympique de Marseille in 1972 after scoring 42 goals in his last season for his former club and failing to win any silverware. His time at Marseille was cut short after the club tried to force him to assume French nationality so that he could represent them on the international scene. Keita was a proud African and he refused those advances which saw him leaving for the Spanish side, Valencia. Racism was still rife during those days which is evidenced by a headline which read, “Valencia goes out to buy Germans and comes back with a black man.” However, he was loved by his new club who gave him the nickname, ‘La Perla Negra de Mali’ which translates to The Black Pearl of Mali. He later played for Sporting Clube de Portugal before moving to New England Tea Men in the MLS where he retired at the age of 34.

Contribution To The Game

Salif Keita was one of the first soccer players that shone in the Number 10 jersey and made it as famous as it is today. He dazzled fans in Europe with his amazing dribbling ability carrying that number at the back which inspired many players who followed. Soccer greats like Ronaldinho, Zinedine Zidane, and others have worn this shirt which is respected and usually reserved for the best players on the team. Without Keita carrying 10, the jersey might not have been as significant as it is present day football. The game has evolved over the years but much respect should be reserved for the Malian striker who left a mark in the sport which many now call their religion.

Soccer took its time to rise up in terms of popularity within the US. Many suggested that the culture in the country is a major reason why this is. They alluded that Americans are generally interested in sports in which there are a lot of scores. This affected their perception of soccer which sometimes has matches that end in goalless draws. During Salif Keita’s time, however, this would not have been a concern. The striker was famous for scoring goals. As mentioned earlier he scored a total of 71 goals in two seasons during his stint at AS Saint-Etienne. He was a joy to watch. These numbers are difficult to match in the present day with only a handful of players reaching these numbers on a consistent basis.  

Salif Keita left a legacy in the game. His nephew Seydou Keita carried the family torch after him as he played for Barcelona under Pep Guardiola. As football fans, nothing beats the feeling we get when we see a young player following in the footsteps of our former heroes. Think of Jay-Jay Okocha for example, and his nephew Iwobi. These youngsters are adored in the sport because they bring memories of players who shed their sweat, blood, and tears to entertain the millions of soccer fans who watch the games. Salif Keita was one of the players who inspired their family members to play soccer and supported them throughout their career. We have him to thank for that.

If you were wondering what type of a striker he was, think of Cristiano Ronaldo. Keita was ruthless in front of goal but also had the composure and trickery to create space for himself and beat opponents before rifling in a shot past the goalkeeper. He was also versatile and could play anywhere up front. If you recall how Edinson Cavani adjusted his game during his early years at PSG where he played out wide, that paints a picture of how Keita was when he was asked to play for Valencia. He had a football brain so it was easy for him to play in any position.

Image Credit: Bamada.net

Today, many players are seen moving to the MLS in the later stages of their career. Football greats such as Kaka, Steven Gerrard, David Beckham, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have all plied their trade in the US in their 30s. This was started by Keita who moved to the MLS in 1979 and has become a trend for many star players who are looking for some competition before retirement. The Malian forward has clearly left a mark on the game of soccer.

Also, we look at his ranking among FirstTouch African Legends. It is only fair to compare him with fellow African players who played in the same position. There are probably just three players ahead of him i.e. Eto’o, Rodger Milla and Didier Drogba. This is only because these other players were more consistent than him and played on the biggest stage for a long time. They also managed to win multiple African Player of the Year awards as compared to Keita’s sole accolade awarded in 1970.

Life After Football

1. In 1994, Keita created the first training center for professional football players in Mali

2. June 2005, he was elected president of the Mali Football Federation

3. A year later, the Confederation of African Football selected him as one of the best 200 African Soccer players of the past 50 years

4. Since 2007, he has been acting as a delegated minister of the Prime Minister of Mali

FT Hidden Gems Series: Remember the name - Adama Traore

The outspoken Tim Sherwood who managed Tottenham and Aston Villa said he had a bit of both Ronaldo and Messi. The Belfast Telegraph pointed out that, "he's built like an absolute tank. Size of the arms on that man. One drive and it would be lights out". Catherine Wilson of ESPN FC commented on his remarkable “athleticism” also highlighting that his "footballing brain and teamwork skills are definitely up for debate." If you know Adama Traore, you probably understand what these people said and why I wrote this feature. If this is your first point of contact with the 22-year-old, you may realise that he is a work-in-progress, excellent work-in-progress. Note down the name of this Malian, he probably rock the football world quite soon. But who is he?

Adama was born in Spain to Malian parents and began his footballing career at Barcelona at the age of eight. Things didn’t work out as he might have envisioned as he managed to make a few countable appearance for the B-team as well as the first team. Perhaps, one of the Catalonia highlights for Adama was coming in late for Neymar in Barca’s 4-0 over Granada FC in the La Liga. He was just 17, at the time.

In 2015, the Spain youth team international arrived in the Premier League, signing for Aston Villa under Tim Sherwood. Times were hard at Villa Park. Traore appeared eleven times for the team that was eventually relegated to the Championship, scoring zero goals in the process. The winger then joined Middlesbrough a year later and was unfortunate to take part in 32-scoreless matches for the club which also got axed from the English Premier League. Stuff is beginning to take shape now for the young winger.

Adama Traore of Middlesbrough controls the ball as Jack Grealish of Aston Villa looks on during the Sky Bet Championship Play Off Semi Final second leg match between Aston Villa and Middlesbrough at Villa Park on May 15, 2018 in Birmingham, England.

(May 14, 2018 - Source: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images Europe)

He was named Middlesbrough Fans Player Of The Year, Players Player Of The Year and Young Player Of The Year in the 2017-18 Championship season where he scored five times and served up ten assists. Premier League newcomers, Wolverhampton Wanderers acquired his services in the just ended summer transfer window for a fee reported to be in the region of £18 million pounds.

“In three more years, I think this buzzing around Zaha will be just a pin in the haystack compared to that we will hear of Adama Traore. ”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

Now, what do I think of this player? He has come to the EPL for a second time when he is familiar with the league’s demands and playing for a club with big ambition to stay, demonstrated by their summer spending. He will get regular game time playing alongside some quality and experienced players in the form of Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho - players who will really bring out the best of Adama. I mean, this guy might outpace Aubameyang in a foot race and his ability to take on players makes me think of Zaha. In three more years, I think this buzzing around Zaha will be just a pin in the haystack compared to that we will hear of Adama Traore. Of course, I probably exaggerated, but that’s just how exciting he is. I literally feel butterflies in my stomach.

Adam is yet to make the Wolves debut as he is still getting back to fitness after the holiday and an shoulder injury, but the hype around him is already of the charts. His new teammate and defender, Matt Doherty, described the winger to be “unplayable.”

“We played against him last season and at times he’s unplayable – I’ve not seen that type of running with the ball, pace and power, from anyone.”

— Matt Doherty, Wolverhampton Wanderers

Having been capped only by Spain’s youth teams, Adama is still eligible to choose either Spain or Mali for his international career. At FirstTouch, we are really watching Adama Traore’s space.

Enough talking. You may want to check the video below to see what the kid is made up of.

FT Top 5 Young Players With African Roots: Ousmane Dembele [Barcelona]

Dembele was born on 15 May 1997 in Vernon, Eure, Normandy to a Mauritanian-Senegalese mother and Malian father. He first played football when he was 12 at Evreux FC 27. He made his senior debut for French Ligue 1’s Rennes against Angers on 6 September 2015 and went on to score 12 goals in 26 appearances from the midfield. Rennes’ sporting director, Mikael Silvestre compared Dembele to Christiano Ronaldo whom he had seen arriving at Manchester United around at a similar age. One season later, on 12 May 2016, the Bundesliga giants, Borussia Dortmund announced that they had tied the 18-year-old to a five-year contract. Ousmane enjoyed a stellar debut season pulling the strings from the midfield and combining with the likes of the Gabonese, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, and Shinji Kagawa to lead Sebastian Tuchel’s men to a first major title in five years as they beat Eintracht Frankfurt to clinch the 2017 DFB Pokal. Dembele was named the man of the match in that final and made it into the Bundesliga team of the season, also winning the Bundesliga Rookie Award.

In a move perceived to be one in which Barcelona was replacing Neymar who left for PSG, the Catalans signed Dembele on 25 August 2017 for €105 million and reported €40 million add-ons becoming the joint second most expensive footballer in the world with French teammate, Paul Pogba- who was born to Guinean parents. Dembele had a slow start to life at Barcelona with season marked by injuries but is undoubtedly on course to become a football great. He is expected to combine with Kylian Mbappe at France to form a relatively young but talented French squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.

Sarr’s team makes it to the UEFA Europa League Final

Recently, we reflected on Bouna Sarr’s decision to reject Senegal for France. Today we look at his performance in a UEFA Europa League semifinal clash with RB Salzburg. The Marseille right-back was present and ever ready to pitch himself to Didier Deschamps, the French national team coach, as he represented his club in a competitive tournament. He was part of the team that won the first leg 2-0 and was hoping to replicate that kind of performance today. Marseille were rock solid at the back today thanks to Sarr and his teammates but the second half was a bit challenging for Marseille.

Amadou Haidara from Mali started off a Salzburg comeback by scoring from an amazing run that saw him finish past Pele after flying past 6 players. 1-0 at 53 minutes and Salzburg became dangerous. It was not long until they piled more pressure on Marseille for the second. This time, it was Bouna Sarr who was unlucky to score an own goal in the 65th minute. The scoreline was 2-0 at the end of the 90 minutes which meant that the tie was level on aggregate 2-2 so it needed to be settled in extra-time or eventually penalties if no team had scored. Lucky enough, the former happened as substitute Rolando came on to volley home from a corner kick in the 115th minute. Salzburg were gutted by this blow and did not make a difference in the end as the aforementioned Mali player got sent off. Marseille are through to the final thanks to Rolando’s goal. Another African born player who plays for Portugal.

Bouna Sarr refuses to represent Senegal at the FIFA World Cup 2018

Bouna Sarr is a defender who plays for Marseille in the French Ligue 1. He is a son of a Senegalese father and a Guinea mother who was born in France in 1992. The player has never represented a national team in his whole career, and is now 26 years of age. He got an opportunity of a lifetime to go and play at the FIFA World Cup this year in Russia, an opportunity that some of the greatest legends in football like Ryan Giggs never got until they retired. However, this did not prevent him for declining the chance to represent Senegal. He said, “It’s France and nothing else, nothing else is a big word, but I always dreamed of playing for the French team.”

This is not the first time that the player has declined the opportunity to play for an African team. He once also rejected to play for Guinea in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations saying that, “I’m French, I was born here I only have an attraction for the Blues.” Current Arsenal player, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang was also born in Laval, France but chose to represent the nation of his parents in Gabon. How odd is that?

Bouna Sarr is not the first player to reject the chance to represent African teams. In fact, there are so many other players in the past, some are even football legends, who chose to play for other nations like France, Italy and Portugal, even though they either were of African descent or they were born in the motherland. Let’s take a look at some of these players.

Firstly, the English Premier League was graced with a fantastic player in Patrick Vieira who played and captained Arsenal for many years. He was part of the famous ‘Invincible’ squad that went the whole season without losing a single match. He is also a World Cup winner with France having lifted the trophy in 1998. But did you know that he was born in Dakar, Senegal? Patrick began his career at Cannes in 1994 after his family moved from Dreux when he was eight years old. His surname, Vieira, is Portuguese and is the maiden name of his mother who also hails from Cape Verde. African blood in his veins and also born in Africa, but he chose to represent France because of reasons unknown. What we appreciate is his contribution to the game and creating a legacy where new players who play in a similar position are dubbed ‘the new Patrick Vieira’. Imagine what could have been had he represented the Senegalese nation?

Cristiano Ronaldo is the face of the Portuguese nation. Hold your horses there! We are not saying he is African, but…he shares the dressing room with someone from Africa. There was once a time when Manchester United produced a talent that looked like he was capable of equaling the player’s greatness. Louis Nani is the name of the player in question who was a promise but eventually failed to leave up to the hype. He, much like Ronaldo, represents the Portuguese nation and was part of the squad that lifted Portugal’s first major title in the UEFA Euro 2016. What most people might not know is the fact that the player is descendent from a small but beautiful island in Africa. Cape Verde is one of the tourist destinations in the continent with numerous beaches and has traditional morna music that Nani is familiar with because of his parents. There are some reports that he was born in Praia, Cape Verde but chose to represent Portugal and his decision is arguably justified after playing a part in the history-making Euros 2016.

Also, Super Mario is another player of African descent who chose to represent Italy instead of Ghana. Of course, we do not mean the game. Mario Balotelli, a striker that has represented clubs like Liverpool, Manchester City, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Nice, is a son of Ghanaian parents. He was approached by the African team to represent them in 2008, but he refused because he was waiting for Italy to give him the nod. It is entirely a surprise why he is someone of questionable behaviour considering the way African parents discipline their kids. Mario is a wild card that has given headaches to his managers, Mourinho and Mancini because of his unpredictable behaviour. He is capable of skipping practice sessions without any reason, start a fight with teammates or even try some of the silliest things on the football pitch like doing a 360 turn alone when he is through on goal. The player is currently on a forced sabbatical from the national team after being exiled by the former Italy boss, Ventura who thought the player disrupted the camp.

Some so many players represented European sides. Some names worth mentioning include Zinedine Zidane (the current Real Madrid coach) of Algerian descent, Makelele born in Congo, N’golo Kante from Mali etc. Who else can you think of that we could have mentioned?