Senegal moved into the last four at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Friday night following a gritty 1-0 win over Mali in Tangier.
Iliman Ndiaye scored the only goal of the game in the 27th mintue at the Stade Ibn-Batouta.
The Everton striker was the first to react after the Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra spilled a cross from the right wing. It was the 25-year-old's fourth goal for his country.
As the Malians attempted to regroup, their fortunes took an even bleaker turn in first-half stoppage time. Yves Bissouma, cautioned mid way through the half for blocking the Senegal striker Sadio Mané, hacked down Idrissa Gana Gueye.
Referee Abongile Tom showed the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder a second yellow card and for the second game on the trot Mali were a man down.
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Pathé Ciss should have doubled Senegal's advantage in the 78th minute.
The substitute picked off Mamadou Sangare's wayward pass across the penalty area but his precision failed to match his anticipation and he shot tamely at Diarra.
The goalkeeper then kept his side in the game in second-half stoppage-time when he pushed Lamine Camara's goal-bound effort onto his left-hand post.
And he was equal to Mané's attempt to curl a shot around him from the left side of the penalty area.
But his late heroics failed to compensate for his earlier gaffe and his side fell for the second tournament in a row in the last eight.
Senegal, victors at the 2021 tournament in Cameroon, will play the winner of Saturday night's match in Agadir between the defending champions Cote d'ivoire and Egypt.
