U20 World Cup:

Senegal, Mali bow out to end Africa’s title hopes

The fairy tales of Mali and Senegal teams at the FIFA U-20 World Cup tournament in New Zealand have ended.

Both African teams were eliminated in the semi-final matches played early today.

Brazil mauled Senegal 5-0 in Christchurch to book their place in the final. The lopsided scoreline provided an accurate reflection of a match in which the South Americans were at their scintillating best, and their African opponents powerless to resist.

Indeed, the match was over inside seven minutes, with Senegal floored by two crushing early blows, FIFA.com reports.

The first was self-inflicted, with the luckless Andelinou Correa turning the ball into his own net in an attempt to cut out right-back Joao Pedro’s low cross from the byline. And worse was to follow for Joseph Koto’s side just a couple of minutes later.

This time, there was no element of luck involved, with classy No10 Gabriel Jesus bursting from midfield and threading a lovely pass into the path of Marcos Guilherme. The Atletico Paranaense forward then obliged with an equally impressive finish, firing clinically into the net from just inside the box.

Brazil might have looked to protect their lead at this stage, but relying on defence doesn’t appear to be in the mindset of a team reviving the great traditions of adventurous, attack-minded Seleção sides. By the 19th minute, and after Gabriel Jesus had struck the post with another fine effort, their lead had been stretched yet further.