Soccer-Two goals in six minutes earn Mali win over South Africa

Mali took advantage of an early let-off to beat South Africa 2-0 in the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday and take the lead in Group E.

After Percy Tau missed a penalty for South Africa, Mali captain Hamari Traore broke the deadlock after an hour and Lassine Sinayoko added a second six minutes later to put the west Africans ahead of Namibia on goal difference in the standings. Traore was quickest to react and scored from centimetres out after South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams had barely kept out a curling free kick from Sekou Koita at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium.

The second goal came soon after as a through ball put Sinayoko goal side and he shrugged off two defensive challenges to score from close range.