The Eagles of Mali secured their spot in the quarter-finals of the 29th Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) by defeating the Leopards of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Despite conceding an early goal, Mali equalized in the 14th minute and held firm to secure the crucial draw.
With this result, Mali finishes in second place in Group B. They are set to face South Africa, the host country of the CAN, in the quarter-finals on Saturday. Patrice Carteron, the coach of Mali, expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, emphasizing their midfield presence in the game. He believes that the pressure will be on South Africa in the upcoming quarter-final match.
Carteron stated, “Qualifying for the quarter-finals is extraordinary. I felt so much joy in the locker room. The pressure is inevitably on South Africa, which has the obligation to qualify and go all the way in this competition. We will play without pressure, with the desire to succeed.”
