Senegal are back in the last four of Africa. A single first‑half strike from Iliman Ndiaye carried the 2021 champions past 10‑man Mali, 1–0, in a tense AFCON 2025 quarterfinal at the Grand Stade de Tanger on Friday. It took one mistake, one quick reaction, and then 45 minutes of calm control to book the first ticket to the semifinals.

The result keeps the Teranga Lions on course for another shot at the crown, while a brave but battered Mali exit after playing the entire second half a man down. Next for Senegal: a semifinal against the winner of Egypt vs Côte d’Ivoire.

Senegal vs Mali: Ndiaye pounces after Diarra’s costly error

The game’s decisive moment came late in the first half, when Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye reacted fastest to a loose ball inside the six‑yard box. Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra stooped to gather Krépin Diatta’s driven cross from the right but failed to secure it, and Ndiaye tapped home from close range. CAF listed the goal at 27 minutes; ESPN recorded it at 29. Either way, the damage was done.

For Ndiaye, it was a milestone: his first start at this AFCON, his first goal of the tournament, and the match‑winner in a West African derby loaded with pressure. For Diarra, it was a nightmare moment that he spent the rest of the night trying to erase.

“One mistake, one goal — that’s knockout football.”

Red card turns the derby: Bissouma walks, Mali suffer

Just when Mali needed a steady halftime reset, the match flipped again. In first‑half stoppage time, captain Yves Bissouma received a second yellow card after a tangle with Idrissa Gana Gueye. The dismissal left the Eagles with 10 men for the whole second half and highlighted a wider issue in their campaign.

As ESPN noted, Mali entered this game with the tournament’s worst disciplinary record. Bissouma’s red card was their third of AFCON 2025 — no other team had more than one. It is hard to chase a comeback when you are constantly shorthanded.

“Three reds in one tournament? You can’t win like that.”

Diarra’s redemption arc and Mali’s resistance

To his credit, Djigui Diarra did not fold. If the first‑half error gifted Senegal the lead, his second‑half shot‑stopping kept Mali alive. He produced a string of saves — ESPN counted seven — to block Senegal’s pushes for a second goal, including sharp stops as the Lions tried to pick their moments and kill the contest.

Mali also had to manage another blow when midfielder Amadou Haidara came off early in the second half with a shoulder problem after a clash with Diatta. Even so, Tom Saintfiet’s team stayed organized and fought to the end. They did not find the equaliser, but they never stopped chasing it.

This was a heavy, physical battle, and it showed. Senegal’s Pathé Ciss suffered a head knock soon after coming on at halftime, needed treatment, and still played on. It summed up the night: bodies on the line, fine margins, and little space.

How Senegal closed it out: control, patience, discipline

After the break, Pape Thiaw’s side did not rush. They kept the ball, slowed the tempo, and forced Mali to do the extra running. CAF praised Senegal’s composure and tactical discipline, and it was clear in the way they managed territory and time. When they accelerated, it was to probe; when they paused, it was to drain the clock and limit risk.

In a knockout game decided by a single goal and a red card, that control mattered. The Lions did not give away silly fouls, they defended set pieces cleanly, and Edouard Mendy had a quiet second half by design. It was professional game management from a team that has learned how to win on this stage.

“Not flashy, just ruthless: get ahead, stay calm, move on.”

Context and history: a rare last-four for the Lions

Senegal’s rise underlines their growing pedigree. This is only their third AFCON semifinal since 2006, per ESPN, and it arrives four years after they lifted the 2021 title. That gap tells two stories at once: Senegal now have the talent and the habits to go deep, but making the last four is still hard and precious.

As for the rivalry, this meeting was described as the 40th between the neighbours in beIN’s broadcast. Before kickoff, Senegal had 15 wins to Mali’s 10, with 14 draws. Friday’s narrow win fits the pattern: tight, combative, and decided at the edges.

Key numbers from Senegal 1–0 Mali

• Score: Mali 0–1 Senegal (AFCON 2025 quarterfinal, Grand Stade de Tanger)
• Goal: Iliman Ndiaye (first half; minute listed as 27’ by CAF, 29’ by ESPN)
• Red card: Yves Bissouma (Mali), second yellow in first‑half stoppage time
• Goalkeeper standout: Djigui Diarra, multiple second‑half saves (seven per ESPN)
• Discipline trend: Mali’s third red card of the tournament (no other team had more than one)

What it means and what’s next: Egypt or Côte d’Ivoire

Senegal become the first semifinalists of AFCON 2025, with a heavyweight tie to come against either Egypt or Côte d’Ivoire. Both potential opponents bring star power and pedigree, and both will test Senegal’s control and depth. The other side of the bracket also sizzled on Friday, with hosts Morocco meeting Cameroon in Rabat.

For Mali, there is regret but also pride. They defended bravely with 10 men, their goalkeeper stood tall after a costly error, and they stayed in the fight until the final whistle. But discipline matters in tournament football. Three red cards in one AFCON is too many for a team with ambitions to break through.

Senegal will not mind how it looked. In knockout games, the job is to survive and advance. Ndiaye showed the sharpness to seize a rare chance; the rest of the team showed the calm to see it home. The Lions are one win from another AFCON final. Now it’s time to find out who stands in their way.