The reigning champions of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, South Africa, demonstrated their dominance in Group C with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Mali on Monday, July 14, at the L’Honneur Stadium in Oujda.
This commanding performance not only sealed South Africa’s top spot in the group but also exposed significant weaknesses in the Malian squad, leaving the coach of the Aigles Dames, Mohamed Saloum Housseï, reflecting critically on his team’s display.
Mali had entered the match in second place in Group C, having secured a win over Tanzania and a draw against Ghana in their previous games.
However, they were unable to cope with South Africa’s attacking pressure, conceding four goals in what was a largely one-sided encounter.
Despite being in a relatively strong position before the game, the result meant that Mali finished the group stage in third place, with South Africa taking the top spot and Ghana finishing second.
In his post-match remarks, Coach Housseï expressed his dissatisfaction with the performance, emphasizing the lack of focus and discipline that led to the heavy defeat. “Tonight, as you saw in terms of content, we were the ones who gave our opponents a gift.
Not all of the goals that were scored were difficult for them, which shows that the girls weren’t focused on playing well in this match,” he stated.
Housseï also pointed out that some of the team’s struggles could be attributed to strategic considerations, as several players had already accumulated yellow cards in the tournament.
The coach had been forced to manage their minutes carefully to avoid suspensions ahead of the knockout stages.
This tactical challenge, however, did not excuse the team’s inability to contain the South African side, who were clinical in taking advantage of every opportunity.
Despite the disappointing result, the Malian coach remained optimistic about his team’s prospects in the competition.
“This defeat reminds us that we need to prepare much more for the quarter-finals, which is another phase,” Housseï said, urging his players to regroup and focus on the next challenge.
Mali’s path to the quarter-finals is now more complicated, but they still have a chance to prove themselves in the knockout rounds.
The defeat served as a stark reminder of the level of competition in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, with the top teams showing little mercy.
While South Africa and Ghana advanced with confidence, Mali will need to reassess their strategy, sharpen their focus, and address the weaknesses exposed in this heavy loss.
As the tournament progresses, the Women’s Eagles will have to quickly put this setback behind them if they are to go far in the competition.
With the quarter-finals now on the horizon, Housseï and his squad will need to rally and ensure that they are better prepared for the challenges ahead.
