Car Frustrate Mali In Morocco

African giants Mali were left frustrated in their latest Group I 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier following a 0-0 stalemate with Central African Republic at Stade El Arbi Zaouli on Monday night.

Mali saw most of the ball during the first 10 minutes of the match as CAR often found themselves retreating into their own half. The Eagles also looked to cause damage from set-pieces, most notably through Yves Bissouma via a direct free-kick in the 12th minute. With the wall doing its job, CAR was momentarily let off the hook early on.

Bissouma and his troops remained on top of things midway through the tie but were unable to make the most of their forward advancements. CAR relied predominantly on transitions and counter-attacks as their weapon of choice, which rarely caused Mali any harm after the half-hour mark.

Mali continued to pile on the pressure en-route to the half-time whistle but struggled to break CARs stubborn defensive low block.

Nene Dorgeles came close to giving his side the lead during the stoppage period of the first-45, after latching onto a loose ball in the area. However, the attackers half-volley sailed over the crossbar.