They are called the Eagles (les Aigles in French). They are led by the experience of ex-Olympic Lyonnais and Real Madrid star Mahamadou Diarra and their coach is former Toulouse, PSG and Gabon manager Alain Giresse. The Eagles are 67th in the world and 15th in Africa. What should the Malians expect of their 2012 Africa Cup of Nations campaign?
Mali and the 1972 memory
Mali’s first go at the Nations Cup was a great experience. It actually remains their best up to date. Cameroon 1972 provided the Malian national team and supporters with sweetness and bitterness. The Eagles qualified for the competition after playing a couple of two-legged ties. They first defeated Niger 4-1 on aggregate and later overcame Guinea in the second round to reach Cameroon.
In Yaoundé, they had to face Kenya, Togo and hosts Cameroon in Group A. In their first ever AFCON fixture, Mali threw away a 3-1 lead to draw 3-3 as Togolese player Kaolo netted a hat-trick. The Eagles once again failed to hold on to a win.
This time, Kenya’s second half comeback denied Mali’s F. Keita from offering victory to his nation. Mali were fortunate to head out of the table after drawing one more time on Matchday 3 against Cameroon.
In the semifinals, the Malians needed extra time football to overcome Zaire 4-3. But the Eagles’ failure to triumph in normal time at the tournament became an agonizing torment when Congo-Brazzaville triumphed 3-2 in the final. Mali had to settle for runners-up medals.
Twenty-two years later, the Malian national team made its second African Cup of Nations appearance. They made history by winning their first group stage match thanks to a 2-0 win over hosts Tunisia. They stunned Egypt in the quarterfinals but fell emphatically to Zambia in the semifinals. Distracted by the disappointment of missing out on the grand finale, the Malians succumbed to a 3-1 loss in the third place playoff against Cote d’Ivoire.
As the hosts in 2002, Mali suffered heartbreak as Cameroon defeated them in the semis en route to the title. The Malians finished fourth at the expense of bronze medalists Nigeria. They got the same result at the 2004 AFCON in Tunisia. After exiting the tournament at the earliest stage in 2008 and 2010, what should the public expect from the Eagles?
Mali at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations
The Malians will kick off their 2012 Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Franceville with a late game against Guinea. They’ll face Ghana on Matchday 2 before closing their group stage run against Botswana. There will be no easy encounter for the Eagles. Mali's 2012 AFCON squad goes as follows:
Goalkeepers: Soumbeyla Diakite, Oumar Sissoko, Alimamy Sogoba
Defenders: Idrissa Coulibaly, Ousmane Coulibaly, Drissa Diakite, Mohamed Fofana, Cedric Kante, Abdoulaye Maiga, Mouhamadou Ndiaye, Adama Tamboura
Midfielders: Samba Diakite, Seydou Keita, Sidi Kone, Samba Sow, Abdou Traore, Bakaye Traore, Kalilou Traore, Mahamane Traore
Forwards: Garra Dembele, Cheick Tidiane Diabate, Modibo Maiga, Mustapha Yatabare
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