Spain 2 - Mali 0
Spain: Riesgo;
Bouzón, Carlos García, Melli, Peña; Vitolo, Gabi; Juanfran
(Corominas 71'), Iniesta, Gavilán (Pina 65'); Sergio García
(Arizmendi 80'). 4-2-3-1. Mali: Soumaila Diakite; Moussa Bagayoko,
Diayo, Kone, Berthe (Traore 64'); Mamoutou Coulibaly, Diallo (Diarra 75'),
Dembele, Drissa Diakite; Bakary Coulibaly, Diagouraga (Daouda Bagayoko 33').
4-4-2.
Goals: 1-0. 16.
Juanfran. Header past Diakite from Iniesta cross. 2-0. 77. Sergio
García (penalty). After Dembele fouled Pina in the area.
Spain kept their hopes of
qualification alive with a 2-0 victory over Mali on Monday. After their defeat
against Argentina a few days ago, Armando Ufarte's side needed to win to keep
going in the competition, and the manager drafted in Celta's Bouzón and
Real Madrid's Juanfran. The youngsters started well, with Sergio García
picking up a pass from Barcelona team mate Iniesta and rattling the bar, and
with a quarter of an hour on the clock Iniesta found Juanfran for him to head
his side in front.
Gavilán missed a
couple of chances to put Spain further ahead, and there were fears that the
storyline of the last match could repeat itself when Riesgo was called upon to
save from Dembele. But with a few minutes to go Dembele gave away a penalty for
a foul on Pina, and although Sergio García had to repeat his kick after
the referee ruled that the Mali players had encroached the area, he was able to
beat Diakite again to wrap things up. Spain now take on Uzbekistan in the last
group game on Thursday, and a draw would be enough to take them through to the
knock out stage if Argentina don't lose to Mali in the other group match.
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