Mali boosted their hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Cape Verde in their second Group D fixture on Sunday.
The West Africans produced a spirited display to claim their first win of the tournament, edging a fiercely contested encounter that swung from end to end and kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
Both sides approached the game with urgency, knowing that defeat would significantly dent their qualification ambitions.
The entertaining first half ended 1-1 after each team found the back of the net in an open contest filled with attacking football and several scoring opportunities.
Mali came out strongly after the restart and regained the lead early in the second half, only for Cape Verde to respond once again with a well-worked equaliser that set up a tense finish.
With the match seemingly destined to end in a draw, Mali delivered the decisive blow late in the game, scoring the winning goal to seal a thrilling 3-2 triumph and collect all three points.
The victory lifts Mali to three points after two matches, reviving their chances of progressing to the quarter-finals.
They will head into their final group fixture knowing that another positive result could secure a place in the knockout rounds.
Cape Verde, meanwhile, produced another determined performance but remains without a point after two games.
Their hopes of advancing now depend on winning their final group match while also relying on favourable results elsewhere.
