Bronze for Mali

Saturday night in Malabo at the meeting for the third place of the African Cup of Nations 2012, Mali has offered one of the favorites of the competition, Ghana (2-0). The Bordeaux Cheick Diabate scored twice (23rd and 80th). The Eagles had lost this final little during 2004 and 2002. The final Ivory Coast-Zambia will play Sunday at 20:30. The film of the match

There will definitely not much to be learned from this for Ghana CAN. Placed to the rank of favorites as well as Ivory Coast, and even a little better for some, given their tremendous journey during the World Cup, the Black Stars concluded their 2012 campaign in continental water coil. Beaten to the surprise by Zambia in the semifinals (0-1), Ghanaians have failed to find an extra motivation to go win the bronze medal, beaten by Mali (0-2).

The final paradox of the small team that generally wants a priori the lowest or the most motivated, and therefore often the greatest reward. Because of disappointment with the defeat in the semifinals is generally lower, and it must be admitted that the match for third place was no exception to the rule. "We measured what makes the difference between a team with experience of high level and a team that is still being built," said Alain Giresse to RFI after the narrow defeat to the Ivory Coast ( 0-1). The balance of power were reversed against Ghana, and for "Gigi", the CAN will in any case was a success.

Dance Giresse

He said that not knowing "what moral state" would be his players had to be quickly reassured, unlike a Goran Stevanovic who often seemed annoyed on his bench. From the 23rd minute, the opener of Bordeaux Cheick Diabate set the tone: Mali would throw all his forces into battle. Somewhat amorphous in the first period, Ghanaians are much more valiant income after the break, but the red card by Vorsah following a second warning was too much for a team not already madly involved.

Diabaté has doubled the lead 10 minutes from the end, and Giresse could dance the cut-shifted (or something like that) in the middle of his players in the center circle, immediately after the game called. A fairly staggering, which contrasted with the apathy necessarily Ghana. While Mali got his best result in the African Cup since 1972, the Black Stars return empty-handed, deprived of this much-anticipated final against Cote d'Ivoire. Suarez's hand on the line, when the World Cup quarter-final against Uruguay, seems far ... Ghana will not even be on the podium of the continent.