Mali went into tonight's Africa Cup of Nations third place play-off looking to avenge their 1-0 defeat to Ghana earlier in the tournament.
The Eagles took the lead early on through Mahamadou Samassa and extended their advantage after the break thanks to a neat finish from Seydou Keita.
Ghana missed a penalty to reduce the deficit but eventually scored a consolation through Kwadwo Asamoah.
Sigamary Diarra put the result beyond doubt with a volley in stoppage time to ensure Mali earned the bronze medal for a second successive tournament.
Look back at an entertaining clash with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute commentary below.
Hello African football fans and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match to decide who finishes third at the cup of nations. Ghana and Mali are the unlucky losers who will contest tonight's match at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
The Black Stars suffered defeat in a rollercoaster semi-final against Burkina Faso that was shrouded in controversy. A frankly diabolical display from the referee marred an important match and in the end Ghana were left to rue their penalty curse once more. They come up against a Mali side who were trounced 4-1 by Nigeria on Tuesday and can have little complaint about their participation in the bronze-medal match.
Traditionally this fixtures serves as a chance for some of the fringe players in the tournament to make their mark before the competition ends. Let's head over to Port Elizabeth and find out who features in tonight's starting XI's.
GHANA: Dauda, R Boateng, Pantsil, Vorsah, Boye, Afful, Atsu, Asante, Asamoah, Wakaso, Gyan
MALI: Diakite, Diawara, A. Coulibaly, O. Coulibaly, S. Coulibaly, Tamboura, Traore, Keita, , Diabate, Samassa.
Ghana have made just three changes to their starting lineup which means star names Asamoah Gyan and Kwadwo Asamoah both play in attacking positions.
Just two of Ghana's starting XI played in this fixture last season, which was also against Mali. The lucky men to get the nod both times are Asamoah and Vorsah.
Mali have fielded no less than three players with the surname Coulibaly in their back four this evening which should make my evening quite interesting. In total Mali make five changes in an effort to restore pride after their Nigerian nightmare in midweek.
Influential skipper Seydou Keita retains his place for Mali and with chances running out to play in the Cup of Nations for his country that inclusion is not a surprise. Both teams are out at a drizzly Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and about to sing their national anthems.
By Cup of Nations standards tonight's stadium is relatively full but attendances have definitely been a disappointment in South Africa throughout the tournament
Ghana get us underway in a rematch from not only this competiton’s group stage but last year’s bronze-medal clash. Mali have started with two strikers for the first time in the tournament in an effort to restore pride and avenge their 1-0 defeat to the Black Stars last week.
Boateng bursts forward and hits the touchline at speed before cutting back to Gyan. His pass looks destined to find Asamoah before a brilliant late interception from Keita, who must have travelled 30 yards to cut out that through ball.
Gyan has an effort from range and tests the keeper but the strike is tame and only requires a simple save
Mali put together their best move of the match which results in Traore lining up a volley around 30 yards from goal. He has time and space but can only launch a wayward drive which goes well wide of the target.
SHOT! Samassa drives forward and tries to catch out Dauda in the Ghana goal with a low shot aimed towards the near post. The stopper reads it and dives in plenty of time to make a routine save
The game has started at a frantic pace which bodes well for what can sometimes be a frustrating dead rubber. Mali and Ghana contested this tie in last season's tournament and there is no love lost between the two sides judging from the early stages.
Afful breaks down the right for Ghana and and combines with Asante to deliver a cross into the danger zone. Gyan is waiting to pounce but Mali do just enough to clear their lines. The Black Stars are settling into a nice rhythm on the ball and look more likely to break the deadlock at this stage.
GOAL! Ghana 0-1 Mali (Samassa)
Mahamadou Samassa breaks the deadlock with a brilliant diving header but to describe Ghana’s defending as non-existent would be an understatement. The Mali forward has time and space to pick his spot and put the Yellows ahead and in pole position to retain the bronze medal.
Asamoah has a chance to respond less than a minute later for the visitors but gets his volley all wrong from close range. His shot takes a deflection and from the resulting corner Asamoah again lashes wide from a tight angle. Two quick chances to respond go begging for The Black Stars.
YELLOW CARD! Wakaso earns the game's first caution for a late lunge on Traore. The Mali midfielder definitely made the most of that challenge but there was some contact and the referee decides it is enough to warrant a booking.
CHANCE! Wakaso is quickly involved again as his fierce volley from distance forces a strong save from Diakite. Ghana are enjoyed a bright spell but still trail after falling asleep to let Samassa break the deadlock with a diving header.
YELLOW CARD! Vorsah joins Wakaso on a booking for a wild tackle on Diabate which has the powerful forward down in some discomfort.
Ghana have pushed higher to press Mali and look most threatening down the right through Asante and Atsu. Asante drives into a dangerous but goes to ground looking for a free kick which does not come but Ghana will settle for a corner.
A tetchy period in the match brings up the 15th foul in under 40 minutes. Boye is the latest player to need treatment after falling at an awkward angle under pressure from Diabate.
A tetchy period in the match brings up the 15th foul in under 40 minutes. Boye is the latest player to need treatment after falling at an awkward angle under pressure from Diabate.
OFF THE POST! Samassa comes within inches of doubling his tally after beating Dauda in a race to reach a long ball forward. His contact his minimal but drifts towards the goal before clipping the near post and bouncing wide of the target. Ghana completely lost concentration at the back for a second time then and were within inches of being punished for a second time.
CHANCE! Diabate should have just made the game safe for Mali from close range. He did brilliantly to control a diagonal ball on his chest but lacked composure with the finish and drove over the crossbar from eight yards.
HALF-TIME Ghana 0-1 Mali
Well that was a very enjoyable first 45 minutes which cast aside any doubts I may have had about this bronze-medal match being played at a pedestrian pace. Ghana may have enjoyed the majority of possession but a menacing Mali strikeforce could have put this game beyond doubt in the first half.
Gyan has cut an isolated figure in attack for Ghana and has had little supply from his midfielders. Mali skipper Seydou Keita has been a class act and regularly provided quality service to Samassa and Diabate during the opening period.
Ghana may look to introduce Bristol City winger Albert Adomah after the break and use his pace to create doubt in the Mali backline. The central defensive pairing both named Coulibaly have looked assured so far this evening.
Mali coach Patrice Cateron spoke about his desire to secure third place before the match and his team have looked full of intent tonight. Here is a reminder of what the manager said in his pre-match interview. Carteron: "It's an important game for us because it's really hard to finish in third place. Most of the big nations, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia didn't [manage] it.
"Of course the players were disappointed but now they have to be realistic and realise it's a good thing to play this game and try to become the third place [team] for the second year [running]."
YELLOW CARD! Play has been back underway less than 60 seconds and Tamboura is booked for a cynical kick on Asante.
GOAL! Ghana 0-2 Mali (Keita)
Ghana throw players forward for a free kick and are horribly exposed on the counter. A sweeping break sees Mali get numbers in the box and despite Boye's desperate lunge Keita has time to tuck home a curling finish from close range. That strike is a fitting way for the Mali skipper to exit the Cup of Nations after a largely excellent tournament.
The Black Stars attempt a quick response but Atsu is caught in two minds and ends up a dragging a rash strike over the bar from 20 yards out.
Asante is the latest player to be wasteful for Ghana in the final third. The winger drives at pace into the penalty area but his final touch is too heavy and allows Tamboura to clear for a corner.
PENALTY! Ghana have a lifeline thanks to a dubious award of a spot kick from the referee. Coulibaly has been penalised for a handball which looks to be very harsh at first glance.
MISS! Justice has been done as Ghana's horrendous penalty record continues. Mubarak Wakaso stepped up but sent his effort both high and wide of the target with a horrible miscue and this definitely looks to be Mali's day now. Another replay of the decision makes any case for a spot kick look weak, with any contact from Coulibaly fractional at the top of his arm.
The Black Stars are continuing to pour forward in numbers but look vulnerable on the counter. Asante drives down the right again and draws a free kick in the final third from a foul by Samassa.
Both teams are flying into tackles all over the pitch now, you would not know this is a third place play-off from the aggressive attitude being displayed by the two sides.
Gyan tests Diakite with a free kick but the Mali keeper is down quickly to make a low save at his near posr. Mali break quickly and win a dangerous set-piece of their own thanks to Boateng's wild late lunge.
SAVE! From the resulting free-kick Keita sends in a dangerous cross which is heading under the post before a crucial late punch from Dauda kept it out at the last moment.
SUBSTITUTION: Ghana finally introduce the pace of Adomah as the Bristol City winger comes on in place of Atsu.
Diakite gets very lucky after the Mali keeper spills Adomah's first cross. The ball slips out of Gyan's grasp like a bar of soap before eventually returning to the grateful hands of Diakite.
SUBSTITUTION: Asamoah Gyan's miserable tournament is over as he is replaced by Emmnauel Clottey.
SUBSTITUTION: Mali have made their first change of the evening, replacing the opening goalscorer Samassa for Diarra.
Despite trailing 2-0 Ghana have continued to try and play their way through a stern Mali defence. The Eagles have been at their powerful and efficient best tonight and taken full advantage of some poor defending to build their strong advantage.
GOAL! Ghana 1-2 Mali (Asamoah)
Out of almost nowhere Kwadwo Asamoah has handed Ghana a late lifeline. The Juventus playmaker hit a speculative shot from range which Diakite completely misread and allowed to swerve into an empty net with a late dive the wrong way. Game on!
Mali looked in complete control but must now protect their struggling keeper to close out the match. Ghana to their credit have kept attacking and their efforts have finally been rewarded with a fortunate goal.
Ghana win a free kick in the final third and Wakaso has a packed penalty area to choose from. After a lengthy delay his delivery is hugely disappointing and fails to beat the first man. Just a reminder that if Ghana were to equalise we would go straight to a penalty shootout.
SAVE! Admoah meets Boateng's cross with a looping header but a weak contact presents little danger to Diakite, who makes a confidence-boosting catch.
YELLOW CARD! Ghana win two corners in quick succession and from the second delivery Asante controls before throwing himself to the ground. Luckily the referee has seen the awful attempt to win a penalty and rightly books the diminutive winger.
GOAL! Ghana 1-3 Mali (Diarra)
Ghana throw everything forward for the final time and get caught again on the counter. Sigamary Diarra reads a lofted pass and buries a pure volley into the bottom corner to put the match beyond doubt.
FULL-TIME Ghana 1-3 Mali
Mali secure a third-place finish at the Africa Cup of Nations for a second successive year with a physical, effective performance to edge Ghana. The Black Stars had a frustrating tournament summed up tonight as they were badly let down by defensive errors and small lapses in concentration that were ruthlessly punished.
Seydou Keita can look back on tonight with some pride after leading his small nation to a bronze medal once again. The 33-year-old has been a consummate professional for the Eagles and rounded off a superb display by scoring from close range.
That just does about does it for tonight's Nations Cup coverage. Thanks for joining us and be sure to check back in with Sports Mole tomorrow night when Nigeria and Burkino Faso lock horns in the final. Goodnight!
Written by
Liam Power
Liam Power
Eq Guinea
Nigeria
Ivory Coast
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Cape Verde
Egypt
Ghana
Mozambique
Senegal
Guinea
Cameroon
Gambia
Angola
Burkina Faso
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Algeria
Mali
South Africa
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