Senegal coach Pape Thiaw acknowledged the challenges his team faced in their 1-0 victory over Mali but emphasized that lessons would be taken forward.
The Taranga Lions edged past the Eagles on Friday at Tangier Grand Stadium, with Iliman Ndiaye netting the decisive goal following the dismissal of Mali captain Yves Bissouma.
“It was not an easy match because we played against a very talented Mali team, but we achieved our objective,” Thiaw said after the game.
“The Mali team has good qualities, and they created many challenges for us. If we had been more clinical in front of the goal, we could have scored more goals, but what is more important today is that we have qualified for the semi-final.”
Thiaw added that the team would review their mistakes and aim to improve efficiency in front of goal for the matches ahead.
“We will look into our errors and look to correct them for our future matches. We hope that we will be more efficient in front of the goal and have more luck in future,” he added.
Senegal will now face the winner of the quarter-final clash between Ivory Coast and Egypt in the semifinals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
