World Cup 2022: winner of Rwanda, Mali holds its ticket for the 3rd round

Malian Moussa Djenepo, April 18, 2021. AP - John Sibley

Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow

3 min

Mass is said in the E of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers (2nd round).

Mali took full advantage of Uganda's underperformance against Kenya.

The Eagles beat Rwanda in Kigali (3-0) Thursday, November 11.

They will be in the 3rd round, like Senegal and Morocco.

Benin dominated Madagascar (2-0) and regained the lead of Group J alone in front of the DRC, their next and final opponent.

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Never qualified for a World Cup, Mali will be present in the third and final round of the qualifiers for the next World Cup in Qatar.

The players of coach Mohamed Magassouba continue the course almost flawless with a clear victory in Kigali against the red lantern of Group E, Rwanda.

Visitors received a boost from the start with the direct expulsion of Rwandan Bizimana Djihad (7th).

Djenepo, Koné and Coulibaly bring smiles to Mali

At 11 against 10, the task immediately proved easier for Mali.

And it was Moussa Djenepo who unblocked the situation from outside the area.

His magnificent curled shot deceived the vigilance of goalkeeper Emery Mvuyekure (19th).

Just behind, the goalkeeper destroyed the meager hopes of his team by relocating right to Ibrahima Koné.

The attacker did not ask for so much and punished the error (21st).

This is his 5th goal in these qualifiers for which he is the only second best scorer behind the Algerian Islam Slimani (6 goals).

At the end of the match, the substitute Kalifa Coulibaly gave a little more scope to the qualification of his people.

The striker of FC Nantes, entered on time, inherited the leather nearly 30 meters from the cage and unleashed a tense shot that hit the mark (87th).

With 13 points on the clock (4 wins and a draw), 10 goals scored and none conceded (only Tunisia is also impervious, but less successful offensively), Mali can no longer be dislodged from first place in group E, l Uganda (2nd) having only 9 points one day from the end of this round.

Thus, the Malian Eagles join the Lions of Senegal and the Lions of the Atlas of Morocco among the qualified for the 3rd and last round.

DRC-Benin on November 14 for Group J final

Caught up earlier Thursday at the top of Group J by the DRC,

when it came to hosting Madagascar at the Cotonou Friendship Stadium. It was not necessary to tremble in front of the Barea to take back the controls of the group. Mission accomplished for the players of coach Michel Dussuyer. At home, the Beninese did not tremble and won (2-0). It was first the Clermontois Jodel Dossou, all in power, who made the nets tremble before the break of a shot at the entrance to the penalty area (43rd).

Much later, Steve Mounié relieved the locals a little more by calmly concluding a counter-attack and a good triangle movement with Dossou this time in the skin of decisive passer (79th).

In the standings, Benin leads Group J with 10 points, ahead of the DRC (8 points), Tanzania (7 points, eliminated) and Madagascar (3 points, eliminated).

Sunday November 14, there will therefore be a final in this group with the DRC-Benin match in Kinshasa.

The winner will go to the 3rd round.

In the event of a draw, the Squirrels will keep their first place and qualify.

► To read also: World Cup 2022: calendar and results of qualifying Africa

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