Senegal secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Mali in Tangier on Friday night to reach the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, with head coach Pape Thiaw crediting a carefully executed game plan for the hard-fought success.
The decisive moment at the Grand Stade de Tanger arrived in the first half when Iliman Ndiaye found the net, a breakthrough that proved enough to separate two fiercely competitive neighbours.
After the match, Thiaw detailed the tactical thinking that guided his side through a demanding quarter-final.
“The objective was achieved. We expected a very intense match from the Malian team, who have that quality and who really caused us problems. Now, we really wanted to be patient and were looking for the right moment to hurt them,” Thiaw said.
From the outset, Senegal appeared determined not to be drawn into a frantic exchange.
Mali, buoyed by an impressive tournament run and known for their physical edge, pressed aggressively and disrupted the rhythm of the holders.
For long stretches, the Eagles of Mali dictated the tempo, forcing Senegal to defend deep and absorb sustained pressure.
Yet the reigning champions never lost their composure.
Rather than chasing early goals, Thiaw’s players focused on shape, discipline and selective pressing, waiting for gaps to emerge.
That approach paid off when Ndiaye seized on a rare opening to score, rewarding Senegal’s restraint and providing the advantage they had been patiently pursuing.
Thiaw was quick to praise the spirit of the opposition, particularly after Mali were reduced to 10 men.
“These are things that have been done. Now, we must congratulate the Malian team, even with 10 men, who caused us enormous problems. After that, we knew how to manage it,” Thiaw added.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Mali continued to threaten, pushing Senegal into uncomfortable moments in the second half.
Their determination underlined why this quarter-final had been billed as one of the most unpredictable ties of the round.
Senegal, however, relied on experience gathered from previous continental campaigns, slowing the pace when necessary and ensuring the narrow lead was protected.
As the final whistle approached, the Lions of Teranga even found opportunities to put the contest beyond doubt.
Thiaw acknowledged that his side could have been more clinical in the closing stages.
“And also, if we look towards the end, if we had been more lucid, we could have made it 2 or 3-0. But now, the most important thing was to qualify. We’ve moved on to the next round for the semi-finals,” Thiaw said.
The result keeps Senegal’s hopes of defending their continental crown firmly alive.
While their route to the last four has been anything but straightforward, performances like this underline the depth of character within the squad.
Patience, structure and trust in the plan were the hallmarks of this victory, allowing them to navigate a contest that could easily have tipped either way.
For Mali, the exit will sting, yet their display — especially after going down to 10 men — will be remembered as a testament to their resilience.
For Senegal, Tangier will be recalled as the night when restraint triumphed over urgency, and when waiting for the right moment proved to be the difference between elimination and a place among the final four.
