FOOTBALL Live

Monday January 21, 2008 Finished Essipong Stadium

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Mali

  • Kanouté 49’ (pen.)

Benin

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Mali
    • Benin
    • 90+2' There's the final whistle. Mali 1-0 Benin.
    • 88' Mali are stifling the game well. All the play is in the Benin half at the moment.
    • 85' Now chaos reigns in the Mali area from two corners as Sidibe comes flapping, and missing, for both crosses!!!
    • 84' Benin win the ball in their own half and break quickly through Maiga, he finds Omotoyossi, who in turns tees up Sessegnon...and Sidibe makes a decent save from a stinging low shot!!!
    • 79' It's Benin who are having the better of it now. Sessegnon arrows a decent ball deep into the Mali box, but Kante heads clear.
    • 76' Dembele not cuts it back to Diarra...who forces Rachad into a fine low save! The Benin 'keeper has done well today. He could possibly have parried Kanoute's shot away from danger earlier in the move that led to the penalty, though it was a well-struck shot from the Sevilla man.
    • 74' Superb play from Sidibe on the left flank. He turns away from two defenders, leaves Gaspoz for dead, surges into the area...but totally mishits his shot! An awful effort. It trickles wide of the near post.
    • 70' Mali are stilll struggling to impose themselves here. Keita and Diarra have been unable to boss the game as they would have liked.
    • 68' Sessegnon lines up a shot after cutting inside from the right, he lets fly...but the ball cannons off a defender and into the arms of Sidibe.
    • 64' Fine running from Oumar Tchamogo down the right flank, he bustles his way past his marker, but the cross is a poor one and goes out of play on the far touchline.
    • 60' Keita sets himself on his left foot after winning possession just outside the Benin area, but he blasts the ball high and wide.
    • 54' Mammady Sidibe is on to replace the penalty-winner Traore now for Mali.
    • 52' Sessegnon is on for Oketola for Benin.
    • 50' It was a touch-and-go decision to be honest. There didn't seem to be too much contact, but Gaspoz made no contact with the ball either.
    • 49' Kanoute steps up...AND SENDS THE 'KEEPER THE WRONG WAY!!! Mali have the lead!!!
    • 47' Fredi Kanouté lashes in a shot from outside the area, Rachad makes the save but can only parry it out as far as Traore, who goes down under the challenge of Gaspoz....PENALTY!!!!
    • 46' We're underway in the second half in Ghana!
    • 45+2' The Squirrels have held out until half-time! Mali 0-0 Benin.
    • 45+1' Omotoyossi now drives a hopeful 30-yarder high and wide.
    • 44' Seydou Keita picks out the run of Fredi Kanout beautifully...he brings it down and bears down on Rachad, but the offside flag is up!
    • 43' Benin are getting away with some rather cynical challenges at the moment, but just as I say that, Bassala Toure puts in a nasty tackle on a Benin midfielder and is immediately booked.
    • 41' Keita feeds it through to Kanoute, he sets himself and hits one from 25 yards, but it's a long, long way wide.
    • 39' Benin will be very pleased with their efforts so far. They have restricted Mali to just a few half chances.
    • 34' A heavy touch from Chrysostome, he gives it to Kanoute, and then promtly hacks him down. That's a booking for the big centre back. Kanoute has had to put up with some nasty tackles so far.
    • 31' Dembele pulls a fine ball back for Traore, who mishits a shot just past the post from close range on the turn. The 'keeper was beaten though.
    • 28' Free-kick in a fine position for Mali, though it was an awful dive from Dembele!! The slightest shirt tug and he went tumbling. Keita hits the free-kick....straight into the wall. Disappointing. Mali's set pieces have been poor so far.
    • 26' Seydou Keita glances a header wide from a corner.
    • 24' Great deep corner finds Omotoyossi, he wins it in the air, and forces a decent low save from Sidibe in the Mali goal!
    • 23' Omotoyossi takes on Kante for pace, and wins the corner. Excellent play from the Benin front man.
    • 22' A high ball into the Benin area causes chaos! Lassana Tour gets in the header at the back post, the 'keeper comes but gets nowhere, but it falls kindly for the Benin defenders, who gratefully hack clear.
    • 20' A nasty challenge from behind by Adenon on Kanoute. He won the ball, but took Kanoute out from behind. Free-kick midway in the Benin half. Kanoute hits it....but drives it straight into the bottom of the wall.
    • 18' The Benin defence have been excellent so far. Kanoute is having to come deep to receive the ball.
    • 14' A high ball into the area from Benin sees Sidibe come for it and miss, and Tchamogo can't quite keep the header down! A real let off there for Mali. Poor goalkeeping from Sidibe.
    • 12' Keita tries to drive Mali forward now. Kanouté brings down a high ball well on his chest and leys it off for Keita...who lashes a stinging low shot just wide from 25 yards!! First real chance of the game there for Mali!
    • 10' Lassana Toure with another corner for Mali, he floats it long towards Diarra, but he can do nothing with it. It was overhit.
    • 8' Rachad, the Benin 'keeper seems to have an injury. He is down briefly, but after a quick bout of treatment frmo the trainer, is back up on his feet again.
    • 7' Fine ball from Sidibe into the area, Mali have a corner. Touré fires it in, but it's cleared by the Benin defence.
    • 6' Omotoyossi is up front for Benin tonight, and his striking partner at club football is none other than a Mr Henrik Larsson!
    • 4' An early corner for Mali. Dembele whips it in, but it's straight into the arms of Rachad in the Benin goal.
    • 3' Tchamogo puts in a heavy challenge on Kanoute early on. Lets him know he's about.
    • 1' We're underway in the first half!
    • 19:45 The lights are back on!!! Three cheers for the electrician who fixed that problem! And let's hope that they stay on!
    • 19:30 The lights have gone out here in Ghana!! There has been a floodlight failure! The kick-off may well be delayed.
    • 19:00 Welcome to eurosport.yahoo.com's live text commentary of Mali v Benin.

  • Summary

    • 84' Benin win the ball in their own half and break quickly through Maiga, he finds Omotoyossi, who in turns tees up Sessegnon...and Sidibe makes a decent save from a stinging low shot!!!
    • 49' Kanoute steps up...AND SENDS THE 'KEEPER THE WRONG WAY!!! Mali have the lead!!!
    • 47' Fredi Kanouté lashes in a shot from outside the area, Rachad makes the save but can only parry it out as far as Traore, who goes down under the challenge of Gaspoz....PENALTY!!!!
    • 24' Great deep corner finds Omotoyossi, he wins it in the air, and forces a decent low save from Sidibe in the Mali goal!
    • 14' A high ball into the area from Benin sees Sidibe come for it and miss, and Tchamogo can't quite keep the header down! A real let off there for Mali. Poor goalkeeping from Sidibe.
    • 12' Keita tries to drive Mali forward now. Kanouté brings down a high ball well on his chest and leys it off for Keita...who lashes a stinging low shot just wide from 25 yards!! First real chance of the game there for Mali!

Live Team Line-Up

  • Mali

    Manager: Jean-François Jodar

    On the Field

    • Sidibé
    • Diamoutene
    • Coulibaly Yellow Card
    • Kanté
    • Sidibé
    • Keita
    • Diarra Yellow Card
    • Dembelé
    • Traoré Substitution Out (55′)
    • Touré Yellow Card Substitution Out (71′)
    • Kanouté

    Subs

    • Dissa
    • Traoré Substitution In (88′)
    • Sidibé
    • Sidibe Substitution In (55′) Substitution Out (88′)
    • Traoré
    • Sissoko
    • Diallo
    • Diakité Substitution In (71′)
    • Sissoko
    • Tamboura
    • Diakité
    • Koné

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

  • Benin

    Manager: Reinhard Fabisch

    On the Field

    • Rachad
    • Adénon Yellow Card
    • Gaspoz Yellow Card
    • Chrysostome
    • Adjamossi Yellow Card
    • Tchomogo
    • Ahoueya Substitution Out (82′)
    • Bocco
    • Oketola Substitution Out (53′)
    • Tchomogo Substitution Out (69′)
    • Ogunbiyi

    Subs

    • Oladikpikpo Substitution In (82′)
    • Sessegnon Substitution In (53′)
    • Maiga Substitution In (69′)
    • Omotoyossi
    • Yoann
    • Amoussou
    • Séka
    • Aï
    • Rouga
    • Koukou
    • Soglo
    • Abdoulaye

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None