FIFA U-17 WC semi-final: Spain beat Mali 3-1, to meet England in final

Every time a Mali player took the goal towards the Spain’s goal, the spectators at the DY Patil Stadium erupted in anticipation. The African champions clearly had a greater crowd support, having already played their first two league matches here.

‘Mali, Mali’ rent the air whenever they took a free kick or when forwards Lassana N’Diaye and Hadji Drame threatened to score.

But, Spain, with their brilliant attacking play – they packed their line-up with four forwards – won the hearts and the second semi-final with a 3-1 score line to secure their fourth final entry of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.

Spain will seek their maiden title when they take on England, who had defeated Brazil by an identical score earlier in the day in Kolkata, in an all-European title clash on Saturday. Last edition runners-up Mali will take on Brazil in the third-place match prior to the final, also in Kolkata.

Mali did not give up till the end and were denied a goal halfway through the second half when a Cheick Oumar Doucoure shot bounced inside line off the horizontal ball, with neither the referee nor the assistant referee, both from Japan, noticing it, leaving the Mali dugout fuming.

Spain adopted a 4-2-4 approach while Mali had four defenders to keep the Spain attackers at bay and only two forwards in Lassana N’Diaye, who was joint top-scorer with five goals until the end of the quarterfinals, and Hadji Drame, who has scored three goals.

The Mali defenders were disappointing as they let the Spanish forwards make too many forays into their goal. This resulted in the European champions scoring two goals in the first half including a penalty kick in the 19th minute and a remarkable finish by Ruiz for his second goal of the match, and sixth of the tournament, in the 43rd minute.

Spain made their intentions to score very early after the 8pm kick-off when in the second minute, a Ruiz cross from the right flank and the left-footer by Sergio Gomez was saved by Mali goalkeeper Youssouf Koita.

Again, in the seventh minute, Spain forward Cesar Gelabert dodged at least three Mali defenders and aimed at the goal only to see his shot go wide.

The closest Mali came to breaking the deadlock came in the eighth minute when N’Diaye had an open goal to aim at after the rival custodian Alvaro Fernandez rushed out, only to see the ball brush past the outside of the side net.

As the game was fought intently with Mali attacking and Spain counter attacking, Gelabert was fouled in the box by Abdoulaye Diaby just as the forward latched on to a Ferran Torres pass. Japanese referee Ryuji quickly pointed to the spot. Ruiz did the rest, slamming it straight in as Koita dived to his left.

Desperate to draw level, Mali tried some shots including a long-ranger by Ibrahim Kane was wayward while Doucoure’s shot from just outside the box was parried by goal-tender Fernandez.

It was more of missed opportunities by both the sides early in the second half as Torres shot in the 58th minute went over the bar while Mali defenders were more alert, keeping the ball away from danger. Ruiz, who changed from right to left in the second half, saw his shot sail over the net in the 60th.

Mali were robbed of a goal in the 62nd minute and their coach Jonas Komal and support staff protested fiercely after seeing the replay on the giant screen. Having none of it, referee Sato flashed yellow at one of the assistant coaches.

More attacking game was on display by either side, Torres getting himself into the goal-scoring act in the 71st, latching on to Gomez cross from the left and heading it in to make it 3-0 for Spain.

In the counter, Mali responded with one. N’Diaye took it upon himself, beating two Spanish defenders and tapping it in to reduce the deficit in the 74th.

Mali, though lost by two goals, could not be blamed for not trying as Spain thoroughly dominated the semi-final in front of the highest attendance in the five days that Navi Mumbai hosted the biennial event.