A surge of pride was expected of the Eagles, but the disappointment was at the rendezvous. For many observers, the memorial service is almost done for the Eagles.
After a 6-goal defeat in Casablanca last Friday, a surge of pride was expected from the Eagles yesterday, Tuesday September 5, at Stade-26 Mars, to return to the qualification race for the 2018 World Cup Especially after the home defeat of the leader of the group (7 Pts), Côte d’Ivoire, against Gabon (1-2). «But, it was a disappointment», confides G. Diallo, who went to the stadium to support the Eagles. Mali have been kept in check (0-0) by the «Atlas Lions».
«A draw that plunges us back», says Boubacar Diakité alias «Sarr», a sports journalist for the daily Les Echos, who adds that with this result, Mali is virtually eliminated. Last of Group C with 2 points (- 8), Mali will have to win its next two matches while expecting a defeat of its opponents. It is 5 points behind Morocco, second, and 6 points behind Côte d’Ivoire.
The head of Giresse claimed
An affront that intervenes in a context where the head of the French coach, Alain Giresse, is claimed by the supporters of the Eagles, who reproach him in particular of his management of the team. Some supporters believe that his management of «players and their playing time» is problematic. An opinion that seems to share Boubacar Diakité for whom, «apart from Jean-François Jodar, the coaches sent to us so far do not make the time factor of the players players a priority. Since the Bouaké match, this has been the problem».
In the Stade 26 Mars, yesterday, on could read on the signs « no more mercenaries», referring to Alain Giresse, very contested, who has been living for some time difficult days. Some say since a week that he would be ready to resign. «It’s not a question of Giresse’s resignation», said a source close to the Ministry of Sports. It is time to tell the State, which is the moral guarantor of these coaches’ contracts, to trust our local coaches. We must not train them and leave them like that».
The question of the choice of expatriate coaches to the detriment of the local ones is far from being decided in Mali. During the women’s Afro-basketball tournament, hosted by Mali, voices rose to signal what they called a «coaching problem», after the defeat in the final of the Malian team: «It was a problem of coach, and we paid the cost. This is a problem to review. We bring in these foreign coaches because there are middle men, someone has to earn something. We must stop doing business around the sport».
Satisfaction
All the same, note some observers, there was a satisfaction: Djigui Diarra, the Stade Malien de Bamako goalkeeper, proved that there is potential in the national championship. For Boubacar Diakité alias «Sarr», if the Malian coach had trusted the local ones, «we might not be there today». The Malian goalkeeper pushed back a Moroccan penalty, and was illustrated himself by many stops throughout the game.
On October 6, the Eagles will play their Hail Mary against the elephants of Côte d’Ivoire in Bamako . But for many observers, «harm is already done». «I think it was a mess for this generation», concludes «Sarr».
Ranking of Group C
- Côte d’Ivoire (7 points + 4)
- Morocco (6 points +6)
- Gabon (5 points -2)
- Mali (2 points -8)