The Eagles of Mali defeated Nigeria’s Super Eagles 2-0 in a friendly game in Marrakech, Morocco on Tuesday night.
Goals in each halves by El Bilal Toure and Kamory Doumbia sealed the win for Mali.
The last time Mali defeated the Super Eagles was on 5th September 1975 also in a friendly which ended 4-1.
Prior to Tuesday’s game, the Eagles were unbeaten in eight straight fixtures against the Malians, recording five wins and three draws.
Interim coach, Finidi George, gave starting shirts to Jamilu Collins, Raphael Onyedika, and Kenneth Omeruo.
The trio replaced Bruno Onyemaechi, Frank Onyeka and Benjamin Tanimu, who all featured in the 2-1 win against Ghana on Friday.
Up next for the Eagles is the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against South Africa in June.
The Malians dominated the early stages of the game but could not make their early pressure count.
In the 14th minute Mali almost took the lead but we’re denied by Stanley Nwabali.
The breakthrough for Mali eventually came in the 14th minute as a defensive error saw El Bilal Toure capitalise and scored.
Also Read: Friendly: Ghana’s Winless Run Continues After 2-2 Draw Against Uganda
The Eagles were forced into a first half change as Moses Simon went off injured on 34 minutes and was replaced by Cyriel Dessers.
The early part of the second half saw the Super Eagles start brightly but the Malian defence held firm.
Despite starting the half on a positive note, it was Mali who almost doubled their lead but the Eagles defence intercepted a dangerous cross from the left.
On 65 minutes Dessers with a big opportunity as he was sent through on goal but shot horribly over the bar with the keeper to beat.
In the 66th minute Iheanacho took a low shot which was parried away for a corner.
With 12 minutes left the Eagles won a freekick in a decent position but Iheanacho’s floated attempt was cleared away.
Mali then doubled their lead on 87 minutes thanks to Kamory Doumbia who raced into the Eagles’ 18 yard box and fired past Nwabali.
44 Comments
When you don’t appreciate the coach that get you to final this is what usually happens
What a rubbish I saw today! What sort of formation and choice of players did finidi bring up to prosecute this match? Foreign coach and Amunike will be better. Nevertheless, if possible, Amunike and Siasia will be better. I wasted my hard earned days to watch rubbish soccer today. Ndidi is a waste, Bright Osaye is a bastard on the pitch. Iwobi tried. FINIDI is a finished dullard. What rubbish I just watched? So painful for a great nation with incredible talents. I tire ohhh.
Immediately I saw the list of first eleven for the match I knew that Mali would beat Nigeria or if lucky draw.
Amuneke is far better.
We need a good foreign manager to tinker the super eagles.An eye opener for everyone,thank God also it was a friendly.
The eagles of Mali are a very strong team,i doubt Ghana will qualify in a group that contains the Malians unfortunately.
U will see!!
We know how to play in the wc qualifiers
Haha @Selfmade,I will be surprised Ghana leapfrog this good Mali side to finish tops in your wcq group,I understand pedigree do decide these kind of games,but the Mali team I saw last night is on the rise just like Senegal.
No one knew Senegal will be a force in Africa,but today they’re the most fearsome team in the continent and Mali is the next big thing watch!
I can now see reason y paceiro only used same set of players throughout the afcon in Cote D’Ivoire. The rest on the bench are xxxxx . Even super Falcon will not play as bad with their second eleven team .
Any player that passes the ball to the opponent two or three times shud not be in the national team.
And any coach that wil always wanted his team to pass the ball backward all the time wen dey shud go on offensive it not good for national team ..
I m sure some guys played their last game in eagles shirt yesterday.
Who was noba 10 yesterday,who was no 9 .those guys that could not win world cup in 2014 or 2018 and could not get to Qatar wil go one to win 2026 w cup.
Bafana bafana will beat eagles in next game if care is not taking.
@Greenturf, talk your house matter and leave Ghana alone. Are you going to qualify from your group? Be sincere to yourself. Deal with your issues let’s deal with ours.
STFU you tyrant with Zero brain, when Nigerians are talking you have the guts to be opening your mouth as well. It’s not your fault I blame some villagers that decided to give you Ghanaians audience.
George Findi just displayed in this match that he can’t coach, he is so clueless, why is Kelechi wasting all the corners and free kicks, What is the position of enyimba in the league?
For Finidi to call a play from Tanzania speaks volume, I will not if the player is from our local league, why Tanazia of all people?
Please Finidi era of corruption is looming, Tella on the bench for the two matches? This is unheard of.. shame!
How can this oyibo play 90 mins? Moses and Umar on the bench?
One Change for team that is losing ?
Nawaoh this is so shameful…
Did you even watch the game of the player invited, he played exceptionally well against some of your so called professionals. Cut the man some slacks, he just tried some new tactics with the players and i believe he learned a thing or 2. Didn’t your oyinbo coaches lose games too.
George Finidi is a PE Master.The super eagle brand is a bigger shoe for any of our local coach. Football is about the best and not color.
Any attempt to employ a local coach instead of a quality foreign coach we should bid world cup qualification goodbye, because bafana bafana is on fire and will beat this lazy eagles home and away in June
You should be careful in judging Finidi on the basis of one loss to s decent Mali side in friendly in which his side is severely depleted. Even Frank Onyeka, the tank, Simon and Bassey who featured against Ghana were lost to injuries- amongst an already depleted side with key players already not honouring invitations to camp either because of injuries or other commitments.
The qualifiers in June will be a different ball game with a full 1st eleven squad with Ekong, Bassey and Zaidu coming back in defence; Frank, the tank in midfield, and full complement of Osimhen, Boniface, Awoniyi etc in Attack- then we can judge Finidi more appropriately.
I still believe Finidi should be given the job as he knows all the players- their strength and weaknesses and knows what to do to correct the errors from the 2 friendlies, especially the blunder by Awaziem that “gifted” Mali their 1st early goal and made SE inexperienced players chase the game all through and opened them up for Mali to score their 2nd goal. There is need for continuity as time is too short to start experimenting with a new coach.
firstly Bassey did not play against Ghana Niether did Moses Simon. Moses Simon played agasint Mali but, played woefully. SO I guess you did not watch either Matches..
The Problem is Finidi showed lack of proper Knowledge of the weapons he have, My problem is why are players twho are so poor in club starting in SE and those doing well in club starting from the bench or just Wasting on the bench?. Which club in thier right mind will start Moses Simon ahead of Lookman or Tella, If he wanted to play the lome striker role he should have started Umar flanked with Lookman and Tella on the wings orstart the same line up he used in Ghana against Mali just bringing in Umar and Lookman (From the start) and changing Onyeka with Onyedika why did he play a wierd Line Up??
bro @Tony K Let us at least watch the games before commenting
Shameless liar….LMAOoo…now that you have found courage to rear your ugly lying face here, will you please explain to the whole world why Omeruo wore the armband yesterday despite “Substantive SE captain” Ndidi starting and playing practically the whole game……LMAOoo…??
Ndidi is currently the SE captain, Troost-Ekong only stood-in for him at AFCON…..LMAooo
Imbecile…!
It’s your Mother and father that are Imbiciles you vile piece of shit, So in your Mind Omeruo Wearing the Captains Armband when Ndidi is there is not as Catasthropic as the Shambolic Line up Finidi put out?.
That’s the Problem with you. You only seem to have life in your Miserable Body when Nigeria Under performs.
YES Ndidi is supposed to be the Captain of this Squad players like Omeruo, Musa have no business in the Super Eagles Highracy it is only in Nigeria where such ubsurdness happens lets look at Norway for instance Oodergaard was quickly Given Norway Armband When he showed his qualities even though they are players in Norway that have been in the National set up for Long…
But In Nigeria they will be using politics to intimidate players. and them corrupt the whole System.
It is the Captains Armband you are worried about and choose to spotlight and not the Shambolic Line up and mix match of Players that Finidi selected that is as shambolic as him allowing Omeruo to wear the armband when Ndidi is there.
And what happens (God does not forbid bad thing) if the same players are suddenly not available in June? Wail and mope too? Lose the matches to SA when there are more southern African teams that could “bow” for SA to pick the ticket? By now, enforced injuries should not be a yardstick to lose games or play badly. No more friendlies until qualifiers proper in June. We can’t risk tactless and inexperienced gaffers in the team. Eagles need iron hand
CS, this your headline go haunt finidi oh lol. And he was already dreaming of the exalted seat. Air Peace chairman can go to court; we need a foreign coach who will have the balls to avoid dead weight eagles going forward and have courage to play people who are eager to don our jersey rather than keep their unproductive favorites on the pitch for full match duration.
This is the worst disgrace Nigeria ever suffered in football. It is all due to this most stupid Finidi Goerge. He must not stand near the super eagle ever again. We had better bring in the jobless Amuneke. He may be better than this village finidi. shame on you finidi. You asked the boys not to shoot at goal post but to play tap, tap, tap without shooting at the goal. Mali goalkeeper was on holiday. Finidi, you are so stupid. You are not s coach but a fake one.
Trust me, Amunike is worse.
Finidi is far better than Amuneke, don’t forget he has a depleted squad to operate with. The likes of Awaziem in defence, who blundered and gifted Mali, their 1st goal, last night or even Dessers in attack will not feature in the qualifiers when 80% of the full SE squad are back.
Let Finidi complete the qualifiers and if he doesn’t win the 2 WC Qualifiers in June, then he can be replaced with another coach- preferably a foreign one that can command the respect of the team.
In other words, let’s wait for the damage to be done properly before we do what we actually know we are supposed to do in the first place…lol
Hahahahaa……live the last time when they chose to avert disaster ehn kwanu….LMAOoo.
I really don’t know where this idea of a “depleted squad” came from.
A team that had Omeruo, Awaziem, Ajayi, Colins, Ndidi, Simon, Iheanacho, Iwobi…8 key players who have been in the squad for 5 years or more being referred to as a “depleted squad” is just so laughable.
We had almost 6 players who weren’t even given game time in both firendlies. Finidi just called them to camp all the way from Europe to come and watch free live matches in Marrakesh…LMAOoo
I thought the point of friendlies was to test players – Umar, Alhassan, Tella and the rest. The way things are going, it’s like NFF is losing everything to chop that $4M Peseiro got us.
Aaahhhh. Nigerians are always bad losers. Haba. We did the same with pesero. We prsied him after winning Cote D’Ivoire Cameron and Angola but when he lost we crucified him terribly as if we must always win every match. We lost a friendly before afcon against guinea we cried against the team as if they will not do any good at afcon.
We are already condemning finidi just three days after we won against Ghana. So amuneke will come and not lose st all.
I have learned not to write off or condemn players and coaches again. Eagles and some players taught me that at afcon.
Who will believe what onyeka is doing for us now. Even ademola scoring more goals than Oshimen at afcon.
Sometimes we need to be patient.
He had to make do with what he had. Though there must have been lapses but where is the chance to improve.
Does that mean if we bring guardiola or klopp we will not have a bad day or lose matches? Let us try to take out our disappoinment after losing any match and analyse matches objectively looking for ways the team can improve.
We almost killed iwobi after afcon. But against Ghana he gave s good account.
Very soon no good coach would want to come near super eagles. Pesero ran for his life. He warned anyone who will come to coach eagles..
I believe finidi will learn and do well. It’s better to continue with him than bring in amuneke who is not active now and who has no job. Amuneke messed up with the flying eagles. He should come and train an npfl team. While not condemning him, finidi still present a better credential than him.
Four regulars were not in that defense. Ekong, baseey, aina, zaidu. A regular was not in the middle onyeka. Four regulars were not in the attack Oshimen, Boniface, awoniyi, ademola. They tried. It’s just a friendly.
Many players playing together for the first time. Haba.
Don’t mind the yeye people, acting as though the previous coaches didn’t lose matches. Good that you mentioned the last coach losing against guinea and going to the nations cup final. Abeg make una leave Finidi alone, this second game clearly shows some players need to be stay far from the eagles team and some needs to make space for others. This is obviously a learning process. Rorh is still yet to win a game for Benin republic. And we don’t hear them calling for his head.
Friendly results still count in rankings. Forget it not. Even in the so called limited squad, 4 players didn’t get a minute in over 3 hours of football. The next games are WC qualifiers proper. If the squad is also limited then, this same story will occur and 48 teams world cup dream is over because southern African teams which are more in our group might lie low for SA to outdo us. No way to cluelessness
Critical thinking is not one of the strong points of most of these comments bar Mr or Ms Christian Ministry.
With only 16 players in camp, the starting lineup was always going to be limited. You also wont run players into the ground if you can help it in a friendly match
Mali outplayed us plain and simple. This happens in friendlies sometimes. Did Finidi cover himself in glory with the tactics? Probably not. But one can’t put too much stock into the results of a friendly. Just my own opinion
Tell FIFA rankings friendly results don’t matter too.
I didn’t know that Finidi is this clueless.His zogbu Nzogbu dance of shame is over.
When you hear indisciplined players like Awaziem and Kelechi singing the praise of a coach, you know it’s fishy.
Is this not the same guy whose team just produced the best performance in a decade at AFCON and got the Super Eagles to the best ranking for decades.
Pesseiro laid the foundation of the team. It became obvious to the world that Nwabali, Aina, Ajayi, Ekong, Onyeka, Lookman, Osi, and Moses are the most reliable in the team.
A normal human will continue with this team and complete it with suitable players. Imagine benching Lookman who who is a top 11 in Africa for just silly reasons.
Tella is one if the best Eagles forward but he was never considered as a starter.
Fisayo has showed he could be the missing playmaker but corruption has
beclouded Finidi’s sense of reasoning.
It is obvious there are third party whose influence is to destroy one if the major platforms that bring joy to the people.
Finidi like other local coaches will always be compromised by unknown forces.
Aa a matter of fact, the nff should get the best from the applicants and allow the coach to select his assistants.
Amuneke should go rescue Heartland, Finidi should be demoted to U-23.
The coaches of the leading teams in NFL should be compensated with CHAN.
Calm down. It is just a friendly match. The purpose of friendly is to try new players, formation and tactics. Clearly, this formation(3-4-1-2), worked offensively. For the first time in recent years, super eagles were able to put passes together. However, he must have gotten some tactics and personnel wrong. In my own opinion, the high pressing and ball recovery pace was too much. These made the defense susceptible.Both wing backs of Ajayi and Collins have shown they will always play second fiddle to Aina and Bassey. The were poor today. The strength of that formation lies in the wing backs!!! Again, in as much has the substitution of Lookmon was to add to the offense, it also, made the defense deficient. Maybe, Alhasaan or Dele Bashiru could have been brought in for Ndidi. Yes Ndidi. Onyedika was a better player today because Ndidi lost a lot of possession and couldn’t make forward penetrative passes. Lookmon could have replaced Kelechi and Umar for Dessers(He lost so many chances in both matches and this will definitely cost him his place in the team)
Finally, Finidi has shown he is a lover of good football and will get better with time. He only has to look into the defensive deficiencies and I am confident that when the big boys are back in the team, this will be sorted.
You are right, Larry. When I saw the praises from Awaziem (who won’t get any call-ups again if we had a good coach) and Kelechi (Mr Indisciple), I knew there was more to it. I knew Mali was going to beat us, they are far better than Ghana who are badly out of form (Imagine Uganda drawing with Ghana). Two friendlies and no new players were tried. Making only two subs. Lol. People that are saying yes to local coaches are our problem, honestly.
No need for talks, Our CLUELESS NFF SHOULD GET AMUNEKE ON BOARD ASAP and let finidi assist amuneke, nsien can be a third assistant for starters! That nsien is tight good.. anything than this will mean Nigeria will be out of qualification for world Cup yet again because of Nff incompetency! A white oyibo coach is good but time is short to know our players before June! NFFJAMBOREE WE CAN C
Every one saying Moses Simon is reliable is something else this guy Moses Simon is a sub or squad player at best. Nothing Special and I definitely will not, Moses SImon ahead if Lookman or Tella. the fact that In Nigeria’s National team Sub par players become more relevant that talented ones is beyond me.
Yes we had players injured but For SOme reason the coaches don’t know how to manage this squad. Secondly players should have been called up to replace the injured ones before the Ghana game so the likes of Orban should have been in the team.
I Have no problem when the coaches say a friendly is a chance to experiment but, One must be reasonable in their Experimentation What sort f Wierd Line up was that in attack when you have the likes of Lookman, Tella and Umar on the bench. WHy does Nigeria keep calling Tella and not capping Him are these coaches deluded or what.
And Moses Simon should be dropped when bigger players come back wit the likes of Tella now commiting to SE no need for the likes of Moses simon again in SE
@Ugo, the Ghana team was an experimental one. We used those friendlies to try a lot of new players and don’t really care about the results. If the new players don’t play these games, when?
This is a tip of an iceberg…. If FINIDI GEORGE that is still active in coaching is exposing his inability to handle the super eagles, then Emmanuel Amunike who’s inactive for over a year now will be the worst.
The problem is that Nigerians like learning late…. We missed world cup 2006 because of local coach Christian chukwu, we missed 2022 world cup because of local coach Austin Eguavoen that his asslikers promised us Total football….. We’re about missing 2026 with still the same local coaches again.
When are we going to learn from the mistake of the past???
Against a GHANA team C FINIDI GEORGE made only 3 subs in a friendly game….. GHANA made 5 changes
Against Mali he made just 2 subs while Mali made 5…..
The question now is, why did you invite NATHAN TELLA since you know you won’t use him
Let’s think twice Nigerians…..
Our local coaches are not ready yet
SHALOM
Clueless Finidi, the same set of people influencing your decision to field underperforming players will be the ones pushung you asude to achieve their demonic act of giving the job to serial failure Amuneke.
Pesseito didnt bench Awaziem, Bruno,kelechi,and Onyedika for no reason.All of a sudden, these are your first team players.
You benched looman for Kelechi.
You denied Fisayo just to continue pampering and covering up for underperforming Iwobi.
You started short one Onyedika ahead
of workaholic Yusuf
You denied Tella a well-deserving opportunity to showcase his skills
Finidi,Karma will catch up on you and all conspirators against well deserving players.
The nff should go ahead and hire a foreign coach.
Very scary then to think that the next matches are qualifiers proper
I was very positive that after Ghana win Finidi will nick the job but he failed to change the dynamics of yesterday’s game, and in real match situation when we are clueless it means he will have no answer in future should this happen again. I will not condemn him but will advise him to go and study more from his mentors and apply again for the coaching job.
For now the search continues let NFF publish the names of the applicants let us see who the best is before they settle for corruption.
No need for talks, Our CLUELESS NFF SHOULD GET AMUNEKE ON BOARD ASAP and let finidi assist amuneke, nsien can be a third assistant for starters! That nsien is tight good.. anything than this will mean Nigeria will be out of qualification for world Cup yet again because of Nff incompetency! A white oyibo coach is good but time is short to know our players before June! NFFJAMBOREE WE CAN C… we might frankly speaking not go to yet another world Cup because of that Hugely incompetent Nff… IT IS AMUNEKE TIME AND DESTINY, ANY MANIPULATION WILL BE ANOTHER DISASTER… THAT NIGERIA TEAM IS A 4-4-2 AND 4-2-3-1 TEAM ALTERNATIVELY AT BEST…
Don’t ever mention Amuneke’s name again.
It’s just that the NFF underrates my excellent ability to coach the Super Eagles and win the World Cup. Yes, I can win both the next World Cup and AFCON for Nigeria if given the chance. Yes I can do it comfortably.
Did you apply? Do you have the CV? What’s your name offline? Or you’re just joking? Is this Bosso? Lol.