South Africa’s kickoff to the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) turned nightmarish with a substantial defeat against Mali.
AFCON 2023: Mali Leads Group E After Dominating South Africa
Entering the 2023 AFCON with high hopes of surpassing previous performances, Bafana Bafana now find their aspirations for a second AFCON title in jeopardy.
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In their clash with Mali at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium on January 16, the expectation was for South Africa to secure at least a draw if not the full three points.
Regrettably, the South African squad failed to find the net, succumbing to a 2-0 loss to Mali and intensifying the pressure on themselves.
Mali’s 31-year-old defender, Hamari Traoré, playing for Real Sociedad, broke the deadlock in the 60th minute.
Just six minutes later, the Malian team extended their lead in the 66th minute through a goal from Lassine Sinayoko, a 24-year-old forward with the French Ligue 2 club Auxerre.
The 2-0 victory propelled Mali to the top of Group E with 3 points, tying with Namibia, who earlier secured a 1-0 win against Tunisia.
Currently at the bottom of the group, South Africa now faces the imperative task of defeating Namibia on January 21 to stand a chance of advancing to the round of 16.