Mali edge past Gabon to seal Afcon qualification

Moussa Doumbia of Mali during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Ghana and Mali at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon on 21 January 2017 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix

by Staff Reporter

Saturday Nov 17, 2018. 20:00

Gabon will need to win their final 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier next year if they are to qualify for the showpiece following a 1-0 defeat to Mali at the Stade d'Angondjé in Libreville on Saturday afternoon.

The Eagles have moved up to 11 points in Group C and have duly qualified for next year's tournament no matter the results in the final round of matches next March.

Gabon are away to Burundi in Bujumbura in the final rounds of fixtures, and will need nothing but all three points if they are to join Mali in Cameroon.

Fiston-Abdual Razak scored a hat-trick for the Swallows in a 5-2 win over South Sudan on Friday as they edged ever closer to what will be a first AFCON tournament for the country.

Moussa Doumbia scored the only goal of the game in the 11th minute of the clash, against a Gabon side without talisman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who withdrew from the Panthers squad due to injury.

The French-based striker was quick to react after a defensive header cannoned off the woodwork, striking home the rebound as the Eagles edged their name among those qualified for next year's tournament.