Latest news with #MohamedSaloum
CAF
2 days ago
- Sport
- CAF
Saloum happier than Björkegren after draw
One shot on target. One goal. Talk about efficiency. Mali are cruising at the ongoing TotalEnergies WAFCON in Morocco. Les Aigles Dames have collected four deserved points from a possible six in a tough Group C, and they have zero complaints until this point. Head coach Mohamed Saloum 'Housseï' is going about his business quietly – executing one game at a time and the fans in Morocco, those back home and around the world are content with the way things are turning out. One by one makes a bundle Semifinalists in the 2018 edition, Mali are targeting the same feat or even better. So far, they look like this is an achievable goal. They are hungry every time they walk onto the pitch. Even when things are not going in their favour, they stay hopeful. And that is exactly what happened on Friday against three-time WAFCON finalists Ghana in a proper West African derby. The Black Queens dominated the first half including taking a 1-0 lead thanks to an Alice Kusi goal in the sixth minute, but tables turned in the second half when Saloum's side engaged another gear – pressed up high, found spaces and came at Ghana until they found an equalizer thanks to Aissata Traore. 'This evening, the beginning of the match was tough for us. The Ghanaians really gave us a lot of problems but at halftime, I gave our players motivation. I told the players to seize the opportunity. We want to qualify. I must say that the players were nervous. We had to get them back into the game. They understood. They are really fighters. They did fight and we got the point. It was a hard-fought point indeed,' Saloum explained in detail after the game. 'You cannot control everything in a football game. Tactically and technically, as coaches we can plan for the game but at some point, we have to explain to the players what is at stake. We are representing Mali. It is not good to leave the field and make Malians sad. We want to make them happy. This is our sole goal.' This is the second consecutive victory for Saloum against Ghana having edged them 2-1 at the 2018 edition in Accra, a year after he was given the reigns. Mali has now scored in seven consecutive group games at the WAFCON, their longest scoring streak in group play. This was also Mali's 25th WAFCON game and what a way to celebrate this feat! Ghana's woes continue Tournament football can be brutal. You blink and your fate is no longer in your hands. The Black Queens find themselves in dire straits with a point from two games and sitting at the bottom of Group C heading into the last match of the group stages. Once again, Ghana's statistics look good after the final whistle, but they are yet to win a game at the ongoing WAFCON. Friday's 1-1 draw with Mali means that the Black Queens winless streak at the WAFCON stretches to four games now – two draws and two losses. Ghana have now failed to win their second group games at the WAFCON in their last five appearances (2008, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2025) with an overall record in second group games at 11 games played amassing five wins, three draws and three losses. 'We did a good analysis of the game. We had chances to win it. On a normal day, we would win 9/10 times but here we are with a point. We are still in the tournament. We just need to win the last game [against Tanzania that also have one point following their 1-1 draw with defending champions South Africa],' pointed out Björkegren. 'We had 2.6 on expected goals as compared to their 0.6 chance of scoring. If we display the same performance, if we play like this, we are probably in the quarterfinals. I think I am happy with one point, there is no reason to panic at this point. We still have a chance to qualify to the quarterfinals.' The Black Queens, who are returning to the continental showpiece for the first time since 2018, registed 18 shots at goal with three of them on target. They dominated the ball possession with 58% and had a 61% pass accuracy. It is these numbers that Björkegren is relying on to confidently say that Ghana can turn things around and make it out of the group stages despite being in a difficult position now.
CAF
7 days ago
- Sport
- CAF
Mali, Tanzania face off in battle for redemption
As the sun prepares to set in Berkane on Monday, July 7, the second Group C fixture will get underway with 2018 semifinalists Mali taking on East African side Tanzania at 8:00pm (local time) at the ongoing TotalEnergies Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). The two teams faced off in 2010 when Tanzania played at their first ever WAFCON with the West Africans emerging as victors following a 3-2 win in a closely-contested second Group A tie. Back then, four goals were scored between the 25th and 32nd minutes with each of the two teams scoring a brace. A lot has changed since then. Mali missed the next two editions before returning for the WAFCON 2016 where they did not make it past the group stages. Les Aigles then went on to reach the semifinals two years later in Ghana where they eventually finished fourth – their highest finish in the history of the continental competition. For Tanzania, this is their first return to the continent's biggest showpiece since 2010. Opportunities anew When they walk out of the tunnel, it will be for the eighth time in 13 editions. Only once have they made it past the group stages. Mali want to put this lacklustre record behind them and at this year's edition, they have a brand new chance to remind everyone that they belong here. They want to return to the podium. But first, they must take on a stubborn Tanzania side that is desperate to make a mark on the continent. With 20 goals under their belt in two rounds of qualifying, Mali are a team that like to express themselves in front of goal. Conceding only thrice, their discipline at the back is also a standout virtue that sets them apart from the pretenders. 'It is always an honour to represent our nation. We are ready to start on a high note in our opening game against Tanzania. This is a big stage but we are here to mean business,' says Aïssata Traoré, the Fleury 91 midfielder who brings the French first division experience to the WAFCON. Her coach Mohamed Saloum adds with confidence, 'The mission is one. We want to go far in this competition. Our plan is to take it one day at a time. We are prepared mentally, physically and ready to get started. Tanzania is an organized team but we also have talented players and our goal is to play as a team. We are in the right mind space and know what we need to do to excel.' Saloum will be relying on PSG's Agueicha Diarra, who netted an impressive eight goals in qualification leading all scorers on the continent, to bring her experience into the team fold against Tanzania in pursuit of an early three points in Group C. East Africa's flagbearers Being the only team from the East African region means that Tanzania are not representing just themselves but the entire CECAFA bloc. They are wearing a regional responsibility that means they must deliver in a tricky Group C that also has the reigning African champions South Africa and West African giants Ghana. 'We are back to the WAFCON. It has been a really long time since we were here. The morale is very high within the camp. We face Mali in our opening game and for us as a team, this will be our first appearance. The coach has done his job, we started our preparations a long time ago and now it is the perfect time to execute on everything that we have been told,' explained Anastazia Katunzi, the vice captain of the Twiga Stars. Tanzania, however, will be without star players Clement Opa who is suspended for this tie as well as Clara Luvanga who did not take part in Sunday's training at the Terrain Centre Federal in Saidia where the team has their base and is under review by the medical team. Opa netted three goals in qualification including one against Côte d'Ivoire and a brace past Togo in the final round of qualification. Head coach Bakari Shime will have to rely on the evergreen Stumai Abdallah, Aisha Mnuka, Jamila Rajab and Elizabeth Chenge to bring a spark to this encounter against Mali.
