The Mali Women's Eagles staged an impressive comeback against the Benin Amazons. After a 3-1 defeat in the first leg, the Malians won 6-2 in the return match on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at the Mamadou Konaté Stadium in Bamako. This victory secures their ticket to the third round of qualifying for the women's tournament at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Under intense pressure following their initial defeat, the Malian players initiated their comeback with Fatoumata Diarra, who opened the scoring in the 26th minute. In stoppage time of the first half, Sarantou Traoré doubled the lead, bringing both teams level on aggregate.
Upon resuming play, Agueissa Diarra extended the score to 3-0 in the 56th minute. However, Romaine Gandonou brought Benin back into the game with a brace in the 67th and 75th minutes, giving the Amazons a virtual advantage on aggregate.
The response from the Malians was decisive. Aïssata Traoré scored in the 79th minute, followed by Oumou Koné in the 81st. Agueissa Diarra, converting a penalty in the 86th minute, sealed the match's outcome.
With this 6-2 triumph, Mali won 7-5 on aggregate and will face Senegal in the third round, following the Senegalese qualification against Tunisia.
The Women's Eagles remain in contention for one of the two African qualifying spots for the women's tournament at the 2028 Olympics.
