The Teranga Lions' victory was secured by a first-half strike from Iliman Ndiaye, while Mali's hopes of a comeback were effectively ended when captain Yves Bissouma was sent off just before halftime.
The match began with both sides probing each other cautiously, with Mali registering the first serious chance in the 24th minute when Nathan Gassama unleashed a powerful shot that was blocked by the Senegalese defence. Three minutes later, Senegal took the lead when Ndiaye capitalized on a goalkeeping error by Djigui Diarra, firing a composed low shot into the net.
Pape Gueye came close to doubling the advantage shortly after, but his long-range effort went wide, and El Hadji Malick Diouf also missed a gilt-edged opportunity before the break. The match took a decisive turn in injury time of the first half when Yves Bissouma received a second yellow card, reducing Mali to ten men and putting Senegal firmly in control.
The second half saw Senegal manage the game with numerical superiority. Mali showed resilience, with Abdoulaye Diaby nearly leveling in the 57th minute, only for Edouard Mendy to produce a brilliant save. Senegal also missed opportunities to seal the win, with Sadio Mane and Pathe Ciss coming close, while Diarra denied both in crucial moments. In the dying minutes, Ndiaye was substituted for Ibrahim Mbaye, allowing Senegal to see out the match safely.
The Teranga Lions welcomed back key players including Kalidou Koulibaly, Malick Diouf, Iliman Ndiaye, and Habib Diallo, while Mali was without Woyo Coulibaly due to suspension. Despite being a man down, Mali showed courage, keeping Senegal on edge until the final whistle.
With the victory, Senegal becomes the first team to reach the AFCON 2025 semifinals, where they will face the winner of Saturday's clash between Egypt and Ivory Coast in Tangier on Wednesday, 14 January.
Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw has praised his side's composure while admitting they could have put the game beyond doubt after edging Mali 1-0 to secure a place in the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Mali head coach Tom Saintfiet has saluted his players for their courage and commitment after their Africa Cup of Nations journey ended with a narrow 1-0 quarter-final defeat to Senegal.
Mali coach Tom Saintfiet admits it will take a monumental effort from his team to overcome Senegal in their Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final on Friday.
Morocco secured their place in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals after a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Tanzania at Rabat's Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex on Sunday.
