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PH71's Cool Runnings Challenge


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Yeah I just holiday through to the next squad selection date, might pause the holiday after a month or so just to read up on the news but apart from that, just holidaying.

World Cup 2010 Qual 1st Round

Mauritius 0 v 4 Mali

Unbelievable, the opposition had the nerve to take a shot at goal :eek:

Admittedly the 2 shots weren't on target so 3 games in and the keeper hasn't had to make a save yet! :D

Kanoute would have had a hattrick if his injury time penalty at the end of the game hadn't been saved!

Mali 2 v 0 Mauritius

2nd Leg was a formality and with one shot off target Mali have now played 4 games and not had to face a shot on target!!!

Mali win 6-0 on agg to progress.

2ndRoundGroup.jpg

This is quite a tough group, Senegal won't be easy but to also to have to beat Ivory Coast to qualify for the World Cup will be a tough ask! They might even have a shot on target against me. :(

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Yeah I just holiday through to the next squad selection date' date=' might pause the holiday after a month or so just to read up on the news but apart from that, just holidaying.

[/quote']

Is there somewhere that show's the squad selection dates then?

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Mali's African Nations Cup 2008 Campaign

Group Stages

Mali were drawn in a group with Botswana, Gabon & Ghana, with the top 2 qualifying for the Q Finals.

Mali 3 v 0 Botswana

Nice comfortable victory here, although plaudits go to Botswana for being the 1st nation to have a shot on target against us!!! ;)

Ghana3v3Mali.jpg

This was a fantastic game, the tournament hosts Ghana went 3-0 within 30 minutes and I was starting to think of being on the wrong end of a cricket score, but the guys fought back and near the end we looked like we might even have snatched a winner. Cracking game for the neutrals.

Gabon 1 v 3 Mali

Solid win, but with Ghana winning their final game 4-0 they pipped me to first place in the group.

AfrNationsGroup.jpg

Q Final Draw

So Mali are to face Nigeria in the Quarter Finals, this won't be an easy match and I am satisfied to have got this far.

The Malian fans and FA love me already which is a good sign. :thup:

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African Nations 2008 Knockout Stages

Quarter Final Results

So Mali v Nigeria was the quarter final. How would Mali deal with the Yak and Martins upfront - well actually surprisingly well!!

Nigeria offered little and it was actually a reasonably comfy victory.

Mali2v0Nigeria.jpg

Semi Final Results

Cameroon took the lead after 30 odd minutes, but we played really well this game and our focus on short passing and being dangerous from corners meant that we overturned this lead to get us into the FINAL!!! :D

Kanoute scored again and my main striker is starting to come good at the right time.

Mali2v1Cameroon.jpg

In the Final, we will face the hosts Ghana again... could there be a repeat of another 3-3 classic?!

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what DodgeeD said, you must be pretty confident going into the World Cup Qualifiers now

Aye, certainly a confidence boost - I had no idea how good Mali were going to be when I took them over. I knew they had 2 or 3 decent players but didn't know about strength in depth - I've been pleasantly surprised.

Yeah, I'm confident that I can hold my own now against the Ivory Coast and Senegal but it still won't be easy!

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African Nations Cup Final 2008

So the Final was a repeat of a group stage game. Importantly for Mali, Michael Essien was suspended for the Final for Ghana and my captain and midfield lynchpin Mahamadou Diarra was back from his suspension in the semi final game.

It was a fairly even start to the game, but then Ghana started to become the better of the 2 sides and after half an hour took the lead from a corner on the right.

Into the 2nd half and we started to pile on the pressure and started to play the ball more direct but it looked as if we were never going to get an equaliser. Then, in the 89th minute Kanoute found some space free on the left and the ball was played through to him. Kanoute ran in on goal, rounded the keeper and tucked the ball home to the despair of the home fans.

However Ghana had a couple of chances to win it in injury time, my keeper coming off his line well to make crucial blocks.

Into extra time and the game took on a more cautious approach as both teams tired. With 5 minutes of extra time remaining and penalties looking likely, Mali won a corner down the left. The ball was crossed in and my central defender flicked his header towards goal.... it hit the bar and bounced down into the 6 yard box.... Kanoute reacted quickly.... and smacked the ball into the net!!!! \o/ \o/ \o/

Ghana had nothing really to offer in the last 5 minutes and as the full time whistle went there was a huge cheer from a tiny corner of the Ghanian stadium... Mali had won the African Nations Cup 2008!

Final-Ghana1v2Maliaet.jpg

Kanoute came to the fore at the right time and shared the highest scorers trophy with Eto'o on 6 goals.

We scored 15 goals during the tournament, of which 8 came from corners - 4 more than anyone else! :D

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I tried my hand at international management in Africa with Sierra Leone when I was doing MadWoodster's International Challenge and I must say qualifying for the World Cup is tough - there is really no room for error with only the top side going throuıgh. Then again, Mali are miles better than Sierra Leone so it should be much more straightforward. ;)

I start back at work tomorrow so I may start this then as it's a game where I can holiday through to the next match while I pretend to look busy. :D Maybe I'll have a crack with Uzbekistan - they were close to qualifying for 2006 (denied controversially against Bahrain iirc)

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Friendly Matches:

12/09/07 : Cuba (H) : 1-1

Goalscorer: Saeed Khamis

A dissapointing start really, we had the most possesion and shots. But couldn't put them away.

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Then we faced Vietnam in the WCQ Asia 1st Round 1st Leg

vvuae.jpg

Solid performance. Better team on the whole

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Friendly

13/10/07 : Malaysia (A) : 1-3

Goalscorers : Subait Khater (2) ; Mohammed Qasim

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Our Second leg tie against Vietnam went very well indeed

vvuae-1.jpg

Vietnam struggled really, I suppose its because they are 154th and we are 89th. Though we progressed with an impressive 4-0 Aggregate victory

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However not so pretty is the groups. We have been drawn against Iran, Uzbekistan and Jordan

vvuae-2.jpg

Other notable groups include, erm, none really. All seem like walkovers, China and Australia in the same group perhaps?

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17/11/07 : Iran (A) : 2-0

Goalscorers : None

One word for it, poor.

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21/11/07 : Vietnam (H) : 3-0

Goalscorers : Ismael Matar ; Saeed Khamis (2)

We met Vietnam this time for a friendly, once again a comfortable victory

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Elsewhere at 9th December, the only other qualifying is in the South America. Brazil, Argentina, Chilie and Uruguay have set the early pace after 4 games. Paraguay are amazingly last with 1 point.

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