Attendance: 21,000
Match Time: January 18, 2010, 17:00 UK
Official(s): Rajin Seechurn (Referee)
Mali Malawi
Kanoute (1) Mwafulirwa (58)
Keita (3)
Bagayoko (85)
Two quick-fire goals and a third five minutes from time were enough to see off Malawi, however, both teams still failed to make the final eight with Angola and Algeria’s 0-0 draw in the other Group A game enough to see that pair through.
Former Spurs man Frederic Kanoute fired the Eagles into the lead after just 40 seconds to set things up for Mali, while Barcelona’s Keita struck with an excellent free-kick just 2 minutes later to rub further salt into the Malawi wounds.
Malawi managed to stop the rot and fought back well with Russell Mwafulirwa halving Mali’s lead, but despite having their chances to level the match eventually it was Mali’s Mamadou Bagayoko that put the game to bed with five minutes left on the clock.
The aftermath of what was a great game for the neutral was overshadowed with the Mali Football Federation launching a protest soon after the game – claiming that Angola and Algeria purposely played out their 0-0 draw, which was enough to see both sides progress.
Mali ended the group on the same points as Algeria, but Mali lost out due to the Africa Cup of Nations head-to-head policy after the Desert Foxes beat the Eagles in an earlier group game.
Group A
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Angola 3 1 2 0 6 4 +2 5
Algeria 3 1 1 1 1 3 -2 4
Mali 3 1 1 1 7 6 + 1 4
Malawi 3 1 0 2 4 5 -1 3