RABAT, Morocco (AP) \u2014 Iliman Ndiaye\u2019s first-half strike was enough for Senegal to beat 10-man Mali 1-0 in their Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal on Friday.<\/p>\n
Ndiaye poked the ball home from close range in the 27th minute after Mali ‘keeper Djigui Diarra let Kr\u00e9pin Diatta\u2019s cross slip through his fingers to land at Ndiaye\u2019s feet.<\/p>\n
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The winter rain which has soaked the tournament started to fall early at Grand Stade de Tanger and it would not have helped Diarra\u2019s grip on the ball.<\/p>\n
Mali captain Yves Bissouma was already booked for a foul on Sadio Man\u00e9 as his team made a courageous start, and the Eagles\u2019 hopes took a major blow when he was shown a second yellow card before the break for a foul on Idrissa Gueye.<\/p>\n
Referee Abongile Tom had already sent off Woyo Coulibaly in Mali\u2019s previous game, a penalty shootout win over Tunisia<\/a>, and Bissouma\u2019s sending off represented the team\u2019s third sending off in as many games.<\/p>\n Abdoulaye Diaby had Mali’s best chance before the hour mark but his shot was too close to Senegal keeper \u00c9douard Mendy.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Otherwise all the chances were at the other end; Diarra saved from Lamine Camara and Man\u00e9 in stoppage time.<\/p>\n The 2021 champion awaits the winner between Ivory Coast and Egypt in the first semifinal, also in Tangier, on Wednesday.<\/p>\n Lions\u2019 duel in Rabat<\/p>\n Host nation Morocco was playing five-time champion Cameroon in a duel between the Atlas Lions and Indomitable Lions<\/a> in the second quarterfinal later Friday.<\/p>\n Cameroon\u2019s players danced their way to their locker room, while Morocco\u2019s looked focused as they left their bus accompanied by Fouzi Lekjaa, the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Small groups of Cameroon fans had already taken their positions in the near 70,000-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium an hour before kickoff but they were sure to be vastly outnumbered. There were whistles and boos for the Cameroon lineup as it was being announced.<\/p>\n The 19-year-old Christian Kofane was starting up front alongside Bryan Mbeumo for the Indomitable Lions.<\/p>\n Cameroon eliminated Morocco as host in 1988 and has never lost to the Atlas Lions in four meetings at the Africa Cup. But Cameroon arrived at the tournament in turmoil after its federation fired the Belgian coach Marc Brys<\/a>, who was at odds with federation president Samuel Eto\u2019o, and appointed David Pagou in his place.<\/p>\n Brys did not accept his dismissal and reportedly named his own squad for the Africa Cup that differed from Pagou’s. It was Pagou’s squad that started the tournament, however, and which progressed to the quarterfinals with wins over South Africa, Gabon and Mozambique as well as a draw with defending champion Ivory Coast.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n