Mali recorded an emphatic 5-1 win over Canada to secure their spot in the FIFA U-17 World Cup™ knockout phase.
They finish runners-up to Spain in Group B, while Canada have been eliminated after failing to pick up a point.
Ibrahim Diarra – so impressive throughout the tournament so far – made the breakthrough on 14 minutes with a superb finish, giving Canada goalkeeper Nathaniel Abraham the eyes before slotting the ball into the far corner.
They were 2-0 up before long, with Mahamoud Barry bundling home from a corner delivery.
Canada did not buckle as Mali threatened to run riot in the first half and equalised on the stroke of half-time when Richard Chukwu lashed in.
They could not sustain their momentum after half-time, though, and Mali extended their advantage when Ibrahim Kanate slotted home. Hamidou Makalou got in on the act with a powerful close-range drive, before Ousmane Thiero’s strike rounded off the scoring.
Mali will face the runners-up from Group F in a last-16 clash in Surabaya on Tuesday.
Source: FIFA
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