U23 AFCON: Mali beat Zimbabwe 3-0 in Harare
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on The Maravi Post
Mali beat Zimbabwe 3-0 in Harare on Wednesday in the first leg of the second round of qualifying for the 2027 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations. Aboubacar Sidibe opened the scoring in the 8th minute and Pape Sissoko converted a penalty in the 23rd, according to The Maravi Post.
Aboubacar Sidibe opened the scoring for Mali in the 8th minute, before Pape Sissoko converted a penalty in the 23rd minute to give Mali a two-goal lead. Zimbabwe had already lost control of midfield, reports The Maravi Post.
Zimbabwe were hampered by several absences and positional changes. Prosper Padera was unavailable because of procedures related to his work permit in Finland, while Miles Bracking, usually a midfielder, was moved into defence alongside interim captain Takudzwa Gwanzura. Corbin Mthunzi was absent because he was with the senior national team, reports The Maravi Post.
Interim coach Wilson Mutekede made attacking changes in an attempt to get back into the game. He was in charge in the absence of Marc Sanchez, who was in Cameroon with Zimbabwe’s senior national team for a 2027 AFCON qualifying match against Equatorial Guinea, according to The Maravi Post.
The second leg is scheduled to take place in Bamako the following week. Mali will go into the second match with a three-goal lead, as part of the second round of qualifying for the 2027 U23 AFCON. The result comes after the Rwanda-Cameroon U23 qualifying match, played on 11 November.
