AFCON 2019: Mali routs debutants Mauritania to go top of Group E

• AFCON 2019 (Group E)
• Mali 4-1 Mauritania
• Tunisia 1-1 Angola

Mali registered the biggest win at AFCON 2019 so far with a 4-1 drubbing of first-timers Mauritania in a Group E encounter played at Suez Army Stadium on Monday night.

Abdoulay Diaby, Moussa Marega (penalty) as well as two namesakes – Adama Traore were all on target for Mali.

Moctar Sidi El Hacen pulled back a goal for Mauritania through a penalty.

After a promising start for Mauritania, the resistance was broken in the 37th minute. Diaby drilled a powerful effort into the top corner from 25 yards to give the Eagles the lead.

Marega struck a penalty at the stroke of half time for a 2-0 lead going to the break.

10 minutes into the second half, Monaco’s Adama Traore increased Mali’s goal tally.

Hacen pulled back a goal for Mauritania with a perfectly taken penalty to make it 3-1 on 72 minutes.

Metz’s Adama Traore, on for his namesake, completed the scoring, curling in from the edge of the box with 17 minutes left on the clock.

Mali now leads group E with three points and a three-goal difference.

Tunisia and Angola who had settled for a one all draw follow in and the tournament babies Mauritania are bottom.

Next Group E Matches:

Mauritania faces Angola on Saturday whilst Mali takes on North Africans Tunisia on Friday.