U-17 World Cup: Mali ride roughshod over Iraq

MARGAO:

Mali

brushed aside Iraq’s beleaguered challenge with a 5-1 victory that guarantees an All-Africa quarterfinal against either Ghana or Niger in Guwahati on Saturday.

Playing at the Nehru Stadium in

Fatorda

on Tuesday, the African champions were barely stretched against their Asian counterparts at the very venue they won the continental title with a shootout win over Iran last year.

Lassana Ndiaye scored twice and Hadji Drame, Fode Konate and Seme Camara struck once each for the African nation who led 2-0 at halftime.

Ali Kareem gave Iraq a lone moment of solace, pulling one back after his side trailed 0-3 deep into the second half.

Hadji Drame (25th) and Lassana Ndiaye (33rd) scored following good work on the left flank to put the Africans two goal to the good and Mali built on a platform of defence in which the gangling Abdoulaye Diaby stifled any attacking ambitions Iraq might have held.

The dreadlocked No. 10 Salim

Jiddou

, inevitably, made the play for Drame to slot home and give Mali an overdue lead.

After Iraq were denied the equalizer by goalkeeper Youssouf Koita’s reaction save to Maytham Jabbar’s snap attempt in the 32nd minute, Djemoussa

Traore

headed in nicely for Lassanna Ndiaye to score the first of his two goals a minute later.

Fode Konate buried the match in the 73rd minute, again from a burst by Traore on the left.

Iraq, missing their suspended forward Mohammad Dawood, pulled one back in the 85th minute when Ali Kareem found the net.

Substitute Seme Camara snuffed out remote hopes of a grandstand finish with three minutes remaining.

Ndiaye completed his brace to make it 5-1, four minutes into stoppage time to assert Mali’s quest to go one better than runner-up spot at Chile 2015.