Mali head coach Tom Saintfiet has praised his players for their effort and character following their narrow defeat to Senegal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.
Mali’s campaign came to an end after a 1-0 loss to the defending champions at the Grand Stade de Tanger, with the Eagles forced to battle through difficult circumstances for much of the match.
Iliman Ndiaye scored the winning goal for Senegal in the 27th minute, while Mali suffered a major setback just before halftime when Yves Bissouma was dismissed after receiving a second yellow card, leaving his side to play the remainder of the game with ten men.
Reflecting on the performance, Saintfiet highlighted his team’s resilience despite the numerical disadvantage.
“It was an interesting and difficult match for us because we had to play large parts of the game with ten men. But that doesn’t take away the fact that my players played gallantly and played very well,” said Saintfiet.
“I am proud of them for the performance they put up, not just in today’s match but throughout the competition.
“We have shown the world what we are made of. Together with my staff, we will analyse our matches and see what we can do better in the future.”
While Mali exited the tournament at the quarter-final stage, Saintfiet’s side left the competition with credit for their overall display.
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