Suara.com – The Mali national team will face France in the semifinals of the U-17 World Cup after both teams won with identical scores over their opponents in the quarter-finals at the Manahan Stadium in Solo, Central Java, Saturday.
Mali advanced to the semifinals after winning 1-0 over Morocco and France also recorded the same score, 1-0, when they beat Uzbekistan.
The head coach of the Mali U-17 National Team, Soumaila Coulibaly, stated that his team remains confident of winning the U-17 World Cup even though they will face a strong team, the French U-17 National Team in the semifinals of the 2023 U-17 World Cup in Indonesia.
The Mali U-17 National Team was certain of qualifying for the semifinals after defeating the Moroccan U-17 National Team with a score of 1-0 in the quarter-final match at Manahan Stadium, Solo, Saturday (26/11).
Coulibaly said he had hoped to score three or four goals against Morocco in that match, but that wish could not be realized.
“However, in the end we were able to win 1-0. Winning is still winning, I think we played better than Morocco,” said Coulibaly in a release received by Suara.com, Sunday (26/11).
Mali U-17 National Team Coach, Soumaila Coulibaly. (Suara.com/Ronald Seger Prabowo)
“We deserved to qualify for the semifinals, we deserved it,” he added.
The winning goal scored by Ibrahim Diarra in the 81st minute also felt very special for Mali’s mainstay striker number 17, Doumbia Mamadou.
By ensuring a place in the semifinals, Mamadou has the opportunity to return to play because in the match against Morocco he was absent due to a red card in the previous match.
“He is very grateful to the whole team because he was expelled and couldn’t play with his team. He is very grateful to us. He can play in the semifinals against France,” said Coulibaly.
The coach is also optimistic that Mali can win the 2023 U-17 World Cup in Indonesia even though they have to face France, who have never conceded a goal throughout the tournament.
France qualified for the semifinals after also winning 1-0 over Uzbekistan in the match played earlier yesterday at Manahan Stadium.
“When one star is absent, many of our players can score goals. We hope that in the next match we can score more goals,” said Coulibaly.
“We have reached the semifinals. Of course we want to win this tournament in Indonesia. We have good self-confidence even though we will face strong France,” he concluded.
The France vs Mali match in the semifinals of the 2023 U-17 World Cup itself will be held on October 28 at Manahan Stadium.
Meanwhile, in another match, Argentina will challenge Germany in the semifinal match which will also be played in Manahan on the same day.